Tax Benefits for Print Media Deemed ‘Unjustified’

Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze called on the opposition New Rights party on January 17 to withdraw from discussing its initiative over prolonging tax benefits for the print media.


For the past two years the Georgian print media has enjoyed preferential tax benefits through an exemption from the 20% profit tax and tax on property.  These benefits were imposed only for the two years until January 1, 2007. In the period between 2005 and 2006 the print media was paying only 12% income tax and 20% social tax. The print media is now only exempted from paying 18% value-added tax, as envisaged by the tax code.


Speaking at a session of the Parliamentary Bureau – a body uniting senior MPs that outlines the weekly schedule of the Parliament – Nino Burjanadze said that during a meeting in December 2006, representatives of the print media failed to put forth any firm argument in favor of prolonging tax benefits.


“They [representatives of the print media] even say that exempting them from property tax would not be an important benefit for them because most of the print media sources do not own any property at all… So I hope the New Rights will withdraw its draft law on this issue,” the Parliamentary Chairperson said.

The Georgian Parliament plans to hold its first session of 2007 on February 13.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)

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