Kazakhstan, Astana, Nov. 4 /Trend, D. Mukhtarov/
Kazakhstan is considering the possibility of increasing excise tax on alcohol and tobacco.
"A gradual increase in excise taxes on strong alcohol and tobacco products is envisaged in order to discourage consumption of these socially harmful goods," Vice Minister of Economy and Budget Planning of Kazakhstan, Lena Karmazina said on Monday at the Senate (upper house) of the Kazakh Parliament, while presenting the draft law on the national budget for 2014-2016.
According to her, it is proposed to increase the excise rates in 2014 for strong alcoholic beverages from 500 tenges to 1,000 tenges ($1 - 154.3 tenges), or twofold, and up to 1200 tenges in 2015, up to 1600 tenges in 2016 or threefold as compared to 2013.
The issue of increasing the rates on low alcohol products is proposed to be considered in 2014, Vice Minister said.
"In order to further increase the rates of excise duties on cigarettes the draft law proposes to increase the excise duty rates in 2015 from 3,000 tenges to 3,900 tenges, from 3,900 tenges to 5,000 tenges in 2016, or increasing annually by 30 per cent," Karmazina said.