According to Yuri Seliverstov, the tax burden on the economy is not a critical factor for the economic growth thanks to the measures taken in the last few years to reduce the burden. The tax burden (tax revenues in the GDP, centralization of financial resources) in Belarus is comparable to that of the country’s partners in the Customs Union. The conclusion is confirmed by an analysis of the execution of state budgets in Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan in April-June 2012. The centralization of all the state resources is 42.8% of the GDP in Belarus, 39.6% in Russia, and 38.9% in Kazakhstan. Taking into account the higher social responsibility the level of the government spending stood at 40.8% of the GDP in Belarus, 36% in Russia, and 24.4% in Kazakhstan.
To balance the state budget, there are plans to leave the rates of the main taxes unchanged in 2013. No radical changes will take place as far as the tax system is concerned, remarked Yuri Seliverstov. Measures will be taken to continue harmonizing the tax legislation with partners in the Customs Union while adding competitive advantages. Efforts will be exercised to cancel ineffective and economically outdated tax preferences.
Measures will be taken to create conditions to involve ineffectively used property into the economic turnover, encourage investments via better VAT, set up innovation funds, and streamline tax administration.
At the same time for the sake of unconditional fulfillment of primary spending liabilities in 2013 the mobilization of the tax system reserves will be required. But it will not bring about a considerable increase in the tax burden of the majority of real sector enterprises, said the representative of the Belarusian Finance Ministry.
