Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Nino Burjanadze angered by newspaper editors

January 18, 2007

Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze is surprised by the statements made by print media managers about the issue concerning the tax privileges for press.

At the parliament bureau session on January 17 Burjanadze stated that she had asked print media managers to provide real arguments why the tax privileges for press should be extended, but the press was unable to provide such arguments.

According to Burjanadze at the meeting the editors of newspapers told her that profit and property tax breaks are not the major factor in their business, but afterwards they made different comments.

Burjanadze said that Adjara regional newspaper “Batumelebi” owns the largest property, but they  did not have any complaints. A newspaper which can not pay the property tax the maximum amount of which does not exceed 200 GEL should not exist, Burjanadze said.

A member of faction “Right Opposition” Mamuka Katsitadze declared at the session that the parliament is obliged to retain the privileges until it is dissolved in 2008.

On the other hand Nino Burjanadze hopes that “Right Opposition” will withdraw its law project on extending the tax privileges for press.

Editor-in-chief of newspaper “Resonance” Lasha Tugushi considers that some manager of particular newspaper may have different opinion, but most editors have a common stance – the privileges should be extended.

Media did not pay VAT, profit and property taxes before 1 January 2007. Also, profit drawn from advertisement services and property belonging to people involved in publishing and used in publishing was exempted from taxes

The privileges were initiated by President Saakashvili in 2004.

Source: Media.ge

News