Statements about the possible loss of funding from the IMF due to the failure to raise taxes are exaggerated, and the process of changes currently appears unrealistic in the short term. This was stated by the 'Iron MP' Yaroslav Zeleznyi.
IMF and taxes in Ukraine: is there really a risk of losing money
People's Deputy Yaroslav Zeleznyi explained that the IMF's requirements for tax changes are only one of the points of the memorandum, which does not have an immediate impact on funding.
It concerns such initiatives:
cancellation of benefits on parcels up to 150 euros
introduction of a 5% military tax after the war
taxation of digital platforms.
According to the deputy, these changes could bring about UAH 25 billion per year, while the government is already spending significantly larger amounts.
He emphasized that even if this point is not fulfilled by the end of March, the decision will only become critical closer to June when the next tranche is expected.
VAT for individual entrepreneurs in Ukraine: technical risks of implementation
Separate attention was paid to the possibility of implementing VAT for entrepreneurs. According to tax estimates, more than 250 thousand individual entrepreneurs could fall under the new rules.
The main problems of implementation are:
significant burden on the tax system
lack of prepared infrastructure
complexity of VAT administration for businesses
need for large-scale training of entrepreneurs.
Acting head of the tax service Lesya Karnaukh admitted that the system is not ready for such changes in a short time and requires a transitional period.
Zeleznyi stressed that without proper preparation, this could lead to chaos, a decline in revenues, and a shift of part of the business into the shadows.
At the same time, according to him, more effective steps could be taken to combat shadow markets, particularly in the tobacco sector or financial schemes, where the state is losing significant funds.
Recall that Yaroslav Zeleznyi criticized the new economic initiatives of the government, stating that in just one week, the authorities announced programs worth about UAH 40 billion.