Tax authorities seek to keep prices unaltered

TIRANA, Dec. 19- In an effort to curb the phenomenon of holiday season inflation which plagues the pockets of Albanian consumers every year, the Ministry of Finance and the tax authorities have launched a campaign to subject all commercial entities with strong penalties if they do not visibly list product prices. The surveillance exercised in the market seems to have only had partial success as prices have indeed risen. Tax authorities are regularly checking in the most popular market points in the capital. The aim is to conserve the real level of prices. The rising demand during this holiday season that sees Christmas converge in time with Bajram and the New Years has provided the incentive for suppliers to increase the prices of food. Task force groups of the police have fined more than 70 subjects.