The chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Finance, Taxes and Customs, Danylo Hetmantsev, has expressed confidence that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign Bill 11416-d, which provides for a tax increase. He said this at the Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF), Interfax-Ukraine reports.
‘I think the law will be signed. But when is a question I have no answer to,’ Hetmantsev said.
He stressed that every bill considered by the committee goes through a dialogue with business and experts.
The MP assured that all legislative initiatives are discussed transparently, with the participation of business, experts and government agencies, and decisions are made taking into account the positions of all parties.
‘That is why I communicate with all those involved in the development of draft law No. 11416, I communicate with them personally and publicly, and their opinions have been heard. But dialogue is a road with oncoming lanes, and this is the place where there is a certain golden mean,’ Hetmantsev said.
He also added that the discussion process selects the least harmful option out of all possible solutions.
Speaking about the idea of raising taxes, Hetmantsev stressed that this is a forced decision that is currently the most optimal among other difficult options.
‘In fact, it was adopted in the Verkhovna Rada, and, accordingly, it was signed by the President, from whom we expect it,’ Hetmantsev summed up.
At the same time, the draft law has been criticised by major business associations such as the European Business Association, the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs, the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, the Independent Association of Banks of Ukraine and the Forum of Leading International Financial Institutions (FLIFI). They emphasise the need to focus on the shadow sector instead of raising taxes.
As a reminder, on 10 October, the Verkhovna Rada passed draft law No. 11416-d, which increases taxes by UAH 58 billion this year and UAH 137 billion next year. The law is now awaiting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s signature.
Earlier, the media reported that Zelenskyy had been postponing the signing of the law for more than three weeks, possibly due to new initiatives proposed by Danylo Hetmantsev.
