BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. The chairmen of the central banks of Azerbaijan and Hungary discussed the economic situation in the region last week, Trend reports.
In addition, discussions were held with Uzbekistan on the promotion of mutual investments, with Georgia on the application of modern approaches in the financial sphere, and with Pakistan on the active promotion of mutual investments.
Last week it became known that in May the number of transactions with Visa payment cards in Azerbaijan amounted to 124.153 million, with a transaction volume of 7 billion manats ($4.1 billion), the number of transactions with MasterCard cards amounted to 77.346 million, with transaction volume of 5 billion manat ($2.9 billion), and the number of transactions with American Express cards amounted to 7,600, with transaction volume of 900,000 manat ($529,411).
According to the released data, state budget revenues for the period from January through June of this year amounted to 19.8 billion manats ($11.6 billion), while expenditures amounted to 17.1 billion manats ($10.05 billion). Transfers from the State Oil Fund (SOFAZ) to the budget increased by 850 million manat ($500 million) or 13.3 percent year-on-year to 7.2 billion manat ($4.2 billion). State budget revenues from the State Tax Service (STS) under the Ministry of Economy increased by 422 million manat ($248.2 million), or 5.1 percent, to 8.7 billion manat ($5.1 billion). Receipts from social insurance contributions amounted to about 3.1 billion manat ($1.8 billion). Budget revenues from the State Customs Committee decreased by 161 million manat ($94.7 million), or 5 percent, to 3.1 billion manat ($1.8 billion). State budget revenues from leasing out state property increased by 4.1 million manat ($2.4 million), or 23 percent, to 21.9 million manat ($12.8 million).
As of July 1 of this year, the number of taxpayers registered in the country amounted to 1,630,743. The number of active VAT payers increased by 5.2 percent and amounted to 55,600. From July 1 of this year, individuals will be able to receive a refund of 50 percent of the value-added tax (VAT) paid on cashless use of cultural services such as theater performances, film screenings, museum visits, and symphony orchestra concerts.
At the regular deposit auction held by the Ministry of Finance last week, the balance on the Single Treasury Account of 500 million manats ($294.1 million) was placed on deposit with a weighted average interest rate of 7.25 percent for 29 days in three banks that submitted bids from the country's five largest banks in terms of capitalization level and amount of assets.