The Verkhovna Rada wants to reduce the excise tax on tobacco products by 30%, but military and political analyst Kyrylo Sazonov considers this decision unacceptable, as it directly lobbies the interests of Philip Morris International, a sponsor of the Russian war. In addition to making a gift of 15 billion. of a company that operates and pays taxes in Russia is nonsense, the political scientist believes.
“Where the war is somehow far away, the enemy is not such an enemy, and blood on money is cherry juice. “The relevant committee has submitted a bill to the Rada to increase excise taxes on cigarettes. As if we’ve become much richer lately, huh? Honestly, I’m getting a little fed up with these excise tax increases. Okay, but the most interesting thing is different. Cigarette prices will rise due to the increase in excise taxes. At the same time, the draft law contains a provision that prices for sticks are reduced at the same time. Where is the logic here? Caring for the nation’s health? Filling the budget? But this is not the case when such loopholes are left. It looks more like low-level lobbying and redistribution of the market through the use of administrative resources. And the redistribution is interesting.
The situation on the market now looks like the lion’s share of stacks is the supply of one company. They talk about 80% of the market. The share of sticks in the tobacco market is over 30%. The happy company is Philip Morris. Does the name sound familiar? You betcha! This is the same company that has been “exiting” the Russian market for a year or two now. Yes, it does. Just slowly. Very slowly. So slowly that from the outside it might seem that no one is going anywhere at all. And it pays 8 yards of taxes to the Russian budget. With which the Kremlin buys Shahids from Iran and missiles from North Korea. And all this is coming down on our heads,” – says the military and political scientist.
Ukraine is “donating” tens of billions of hryvnias to Philip Morris International, which is sponsoring the war in Russia, adds Sazonov: “In fact, lobbying in a country at war for the interests of your enemy’s sponsor is beyond logic. They are raising taxes, tariffs, everything they can – explaining everything by the war. The explanation is accepted, our most just defense war is still costing us dearly. But at the same time, making a gift of 15 billion to a company that operates and pays taxes in Russia is nonsense.”
The political scientist adds that MPs should definitely not receive such gifts. And the company should decide whether it operates in the Ukrainian market or the Russian market.