Freedom House Faces Back Taxes in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz authorities lashed out at Freedom House yesterday, saying this world organization of right advocates failed to pay to Kyrgyzstan $1 million in social taxes. It was the first time that Bishkek put forward such accusations against a western organization of right advocates.
Social Fund’ senior official Akylbek Temirkulov voiced the exact accusation against Freedom House. “The office of Freedom House in Kyrgyzia has paid no taxes since the start of activities in the republic,” the official said.
“We reached Freedom House via an announcement in one of the newspapers, where this organization was offering jobs. The check of files showed the organization hasn’t been registered as a taxpayer. So, Freedom House has settled no taxes since 2002, i.e. since the beginning of activities on soil of Kyrgyzstan.” The back taxes reached $1 million, Social Fund estimates.
After spotting back taxes, Social Fund forwarded a letter to Freedom House and to Bishkek office of USAID. The checked organization has been exempt from social taxes, Freedom House and USAID responded.
But only the aliens are exempt from taxes, not residents of Kyrgyzstan, Temirkulov specified.
Regarded as one of the world leaders among nongovernmental organizations, Freedom House focuses in Kyrgyzstan on backing up mass media and right advocating organizations, which monitor the rights of prisoners. The experts say it has executed projects there worth over $10 million since 2002, a substantial part of the amount has been paid as wages.
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All the Article in Russian as of June 22, 2006
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