The number of passive businesses has increased with an unprecedented rhythm. Official documents published by the Central Tax Administration (CTA) show that over 16 thousands of companies have passed to a passive state in less than nine months.

The list of passive businesses was published for the first time last May. At the time, CTA declared a total number of 91 thousands businesses with a passive state in Albania, which were accumulated since 1992.

In the beginning of February, the number of passive businesses increased to 107 thousand subjects. That means more than 16 thousand businesses have been made to close their activity and go to a passive status in less than 9 months.

Crisis, taxes and penalties

There are many reasons why businesses have been made to close their doors. Besides the long economic crisis, the financial state of businesses has been heavily hit by the fiscal policies in all levels. In the recent three years, businesses faced taxes increase by all sides. First it was the government which raised the taxes twice in 2015 and 2016, with 200 million of dollars each.

Last year businesses faced also taxes increase from the local government, especially in the capital. Some taxes and tariffs increased threefold, making many subjects to permanently close their doors and sending others to total failure.

In the meantime, fiscal authorities have multiplied the punishment measures. In 2015, the government started the action against informality, which was characterized by a very high aggressiveness of the tax officials and other state structures. During the last summer, the action climaxed with a string of penalties which resulted fatal for many businesses, making them to close definitely.

SYRI.net