Southern Albanian businesses fined for lack of cash registers, receipts

TIRANA, Aug. 17 – The General Tax Directorate says it has fined 40 businesses worth 12.7 million lek (USD 127,000 Euro 90,000) following inspections it carried out in the southern coastal cities of Vlora and Saranda last week. The businesses were fined after inspectors identified a lack of cash registers and receipts issued for sales.
Two companies authorized to sell cash registers were also fined 200,000 lek for failing to meet their maintenance deadlines.
Tax inspectors also seized considerable amounts of oil, beer and other food products which were being transported without bills.
The tax administration says that recent changes to the tax procedures law allow inspectors to seize the goods of unregistered businesses immediately.
Tax officials have also warned businesses operating on the Albanian coastline, from Shkodra to Saranda that they will be under constant monitoring this summer especially with regard to frequently reported problems of non-declaration of employees, cash registers and issuance of receipts.
A couple of months ago, the Tax Directorate said only some 56,000 out of a reported total of 90,000 small businesses had installed the compulsory cash registers at the time when the deadline for their reimbursement expired at the end of February, 2011.
Until recently, if a business had not installed the fiscal cash registers it would face a fine of 20,000 to 100,000 lek. Yet, even if the business installs the cash register, changes to the law provide for a series of fines for violations that presumably can take place even if a cash register is present. Should a business not issue receipts for every sale made, the first time it is caught, it is fined 100,000 lek. The second time results in a fine of 500,000 lek. The law provides for termination of business activity for six months if violations continue after that.