Only Tax Payers Feel It

The Syrian leadership has recently issued some decrees exempting tax payers from all the fines and fees they had to pay in 2011 and 2012 for delaying tax payment, if they pay their due taxes before June 30, 2013.

It is one of the many other important steps taken by the Syrian leadership to ease the pressure caused to economic activities, because of the ongoing crisis in the country.

Only economic activities and self-employed people, who couldn’t pay their due financial obligations to the state because of the critical circumstances in Syria, will realize and evaluate the importance of this step.

Delaying payments or the act of not paying taxes has accumulated more fees and fines and caused remarkable retreat in tax revenues without any arrangements or caution measures.

This situation affirms the need to tackle the problem so as to guarantee the right of the state and, at the same time, help owners of economic and services activities pay their due financial obligations without hesitation or extra costs under the uncomfortable and extraordinary circumstances the entire homeland is experiencing.

The timing of issuing these decrees is very suitable, as they restore the right of the state treasury and encourage owners of economic and craft activities to pay the state the due taxes and customs on time. This will in turn be reflected positively on their lives through the services rendered by the state to them and to other citizens and will also contribute to reconstructing the infrastructure necessary for public and private utilities. Thus, what tax payers give reflects positively on their conditions and it is for their good.

Ahmad Orabi Baaj

Translated by H. Mustafa