The Assembly of People’s Representatives adopted in plenary session on Saturday evening, with 80 votes in favour, 38 against and 7 abstentions, a proposal for a new article to be added to the draft finance law 2024, which would introduce criminal reconciliation for sanctions and fines imposed in criminal cases.
This article was adopted despite the opposition of the Minister of Finance, Sihem Namsia, who stated that “the orientation adopted is that of encouraging tax compliance”, adding that the Ministry is in the process of implementing the tax amnesty schedule for 2022.
She argued that maintaining such an amnesty contradicts the principle of tax justice and encourages tax evasion.
However, during the plenary session, the Assembly rejected a number of proposed articles. The first was a proposal to add a new article stipulating that cash payments of 10,000 dinars or more for the acquisition of securities, services and goods would be subject to a penalty of 20% of the amounts paid, with a minimum threshold
of 2,200 dinars.
The second rejected proposal concerned the addition of a new article proposing the replacement of company cars and petrol vouchers by a compensatory financial bonus, with a maximum threshold of 1000 dinars, and the revision of the legislation on company cars and petrol vouchers.
The proposal to add a new article stipulating the cancellation of contracts with environmental, planting and gardening companies and the economic integration of the people concerned in public and administrative enterprises or through the creation of private projects was also rejected. This rejected article also provides for the promulgation of a law authorising the granting of permits for the temporary use or appropriation of land and state farms to workers, in return for financial compensation to be determined by a specialised commission.
Also rejected was a proposal to add an Article 46 bis to the Code of Tax Duties and Procedures, providing for a review of tax audit activities by public control bodies.
MPs also
a proposal to add an article on the inventory and sale of scrap metal (used iron and equipment) in all public institutions, particularly in the warehouses of transport and railway companies, and its transfer to the Elfouladh company, as well as a proposal to abolish the excise tax on perfumes, liberalise alcohol prices and allow companies specialising in the wholesale of medicines to market alcohol.
Also rejected were a new article obliging companies to keep their accounts in Tunisia, an article suspending the measure relating to the limitation period in the fight against tax evasion and another article aimed at strengthening the fight against money laundering in the field of property development.
The plenary session was adjourned at around 8 p.m. and will reconvene Sunday to continue the examination of the remaining supplementary articles.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse