Mirziyoyev orders to exempt self-employed citizens from income tax

During a videoconference on 19th May, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed his plans to help the citizens.

Apart from his plans for Covid-19 scenario, which was measures being considered to bring back the citizens still stuck in other countries, assisting medical workers and appreciating their hard work by giving them bonuses.

Plans to exempt self-employed citizens from income tax was also discussed.

Now that Uzbekistan has managed to control the Covid-19 spread, some of the major regions and cities are slowly opening for businesses, several decrees and resolutions have been passed by the President to help the businesses re-establish.  These measures include an injection of $2.9 billion to help 500 thousand entrepreneurs and over 8 million citizens. 

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev put great emphasis on the importance of protecting the rights of the entrepreneurs. He stated:

“I warn all hokims. If the property of at least one entrepreneur is seized illegally, the hokim will not get off with a single resignation, but will stand liable before the law,”

Business activities will be analyzed on a monthly basis to provide information to the government so that appropriate actions can be taken to help the businesses.

An online platform would be created, this platform will assist entrepreneurs to register their businesses into the government program for tax exemptions virtually. Business owners will also be able to register via telephone. Businesses entitled for tax exemptions include “hairdressers, shoemakers, bakers, blacksmiths, carpenters, tailors, taxi drivers, photographers, translators, designers, programmers, etc.”

The agenda of the meeting also included the discussion of new industrial zones, this decision was considered to facilitate lack of development in infrastructure and most auctioned land for business purposes not being taken.

Discussion of export was also put forward and difficulty in dealing with the commercial banks was brought forward. It was stressed that conditions for loan applications and customer services at the banks were the main concerns because of which many appeals were unresolved.