Kudrin: Putin’s tax crimes bill means “major backward step”

Alexei Kudrin file photo

MOSCOW. Nov 14 (Interfax) – Former Russian finance minister Alexei Kudrin, today head of the Civil Initiatives Committee, has slammed as a “major backward step” a draft law to bring back the practice where law enforcement agencies could bypass tax authorities in prosecuting suspected tax crimes.

“I support those who don’t consider it correct to empower law enforcement authorities to bypass tax inspectorates in opening tax crime cases. I simply don’t consider this logical in any way,” Kudrin said at a meeting of the Stolypin club.

Under the current law, put into force in December 2011, the prosecution of suspected tax offenses under Articles 198 and 199 of the Criminal Code can solely be based on “documents that have been provided by tax authorities under legislation on taxes and levies.”

A draft law introduced by President Vladimir Putin last month would allow tax offense proceedings to be based on evidence obtained by law enforcement alone.

The planned law “would throw as back,” Kudrin said. “It would be a major backward step.”

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