Lutsk tax inspectors threaten newspaper with tax check

  The tax police have demanded documentary confirmation of expenses set down in the tax declaration for the first half of 2013. the Chief Editor of the Lutsk newspaper “Khronikla Lyubarta”, Andriy Luchyk  asserts that despite the ban on checks during the election campaign, the tax police have demanded the financial documentation and threatened to carry out an unscheduled check in the editorial offices of the newspaper.

Mr Luchyk provided the letter received from the Tax Administration.  In response to Telekritika’s enquiry, the Volyn Oblast Tax Administration spokesperson said that a check was being carried out and the results would be made public by 17 September.

The same tax office promised to punish those responsible for initiating a tax investigation into the Lutsk TV and Radio broadcaster “Avers” at the end of July. The notification then received stated hat the purpose was to check adherence to tax, foreign currency and other legislation.  The check began on 26 July.

When the Director asked how this complied with the moratorium on such checks during the pre-election period, she was told by the tax police that it was the first time they were hearing of such a moratorium.

The check was apparently cancelled by a decision on 26 July.  The Tax Administration stated then that it was strictly adhering to the moratorium.