Consumer price hike expected as gov’t announces plans to include small businesses in VAT system

TIRANA, Oct. 5 – Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced small businesses will also be included in the value added tax system starting next year, a move which he justified with the renewed campaign against informality, but which will apparently increase consumer prices due to higher costs incurred by dozens of thousands of businesses. Launching a tour of public hearings on the 2018 budget in Fier, a stronghold of the ruling Socialists, Prime Minister Rama said small businesses will continue to be stripped of profit tax, but will all be included in the VAT system to strengthen fight against tax…