US-funded Tirana Taxpayer Service Center inaugurated

TIRANA, March 1 – U.S. Ambassador Alexander A. Arvizu and Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha inaugurated on Tuesday the new Tirana Taxpayer Service Center. Established with the assistance of the American people through the Millennium Challenge Corporation Albania Threshold Program II, the center provides tax services and information for all businesses operating in Tirana, USAID said in a statement.
The center opened December 1, 2010, and since that time, up to 1,000 taxpayers a day have been visiting the facility. Since opening, the center has served almost 50,000 customers.
The new center boasts 19 customer service windows, an IT system networked to the General Directorate of Taxation (GDT) taxpayer data base and other offices, and a state-of-the-art queue management system. The center’s innovative design reduces long queues for taxpayers, provides them with a higher level of service, and supports the continued improvement of the Albanian business environment. The center includes one office that serves Tirana-based businesses, and another that serves Albania’s 800 largest taxpayers. The program has also built a Taxpayer Call Center to support the tax administration’s revenue collection efforts and provide information to taxpayers.
At the ceremony, Ambassador Arvizu and Prime Minister Berisha toured the centers and met with GDT employees and businesses.
In his remarks, Ambassador Arvizu acknowledged the efforts made to make government institutions more efficient and transparent in Albania. He also noted U.S. support for advancing the reforms initiated by the project, the government, the business community, and the public at large.
The second stage of the MCC Albania Threshold Program (MCCA2) is a two-year, $15.7 million agreement between Albania and the United States, funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and administered by USAID, which aims to strengthen the rule of law, reduce corruption, and increase public oversight, thereby improving the business environment in Albania through IT solutions and technical assistance.