Financial Services, Latvia, Legislation, Taxation

International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 13:07

40% reduction in fines issued by Latvian Revenue Service in 8 months

BC, Riga, 21.09.2017.Print version
The number of fines issues by the State Revenue Service for administrative violations has reduced by 40% in the first eight months of 2017, as the Revenue Service is observing the principle ''consult before fining'' to a greater degree, SRS representative Dace Peleka said during a Seaima Expenditure and Revision Committee meeting yesterday, cites LETA.

The committee listened to a report from the State Audit Office on fines issued for tax violations.

 

According to the State Audit Office, between 2014 to 2016, the SRS has issued approximately 52,000 fines for a total of about EUR 12 million, but that only about 53% of these issued fines have actually been paid. The Audit Office also criticized that this system of issuing fines remains very inconsistent.

 

Meanwhile, Finance Ministry Deputy State Secretary Ilmars Snucins informed the committee that work is currently underway to improve the Revenue Service's policies of issuing fines, and that the State Audit Office's recommendations are planned to be taken into account.

 

Peleka, in turn, also admitted that there is something not right with the system of issuing fines, but that the Revenue Service has already taken various recommendations into account to improve the system.

 

At the same time, Peleka also said that the Revenue Service has begun to observe the principle ''consult before fining'' to a greater degree this year, and thus there has been a 40% reduction in the number of fines issued in the first eight months.

 

''We are carefully assessing each individual situation, so that we do not issue fines for nonsense. However, we should also think about what to do for those who are not motivated by these consultations, and continue to avoid paying taxes even after fines are issued,'' she added.






Search site