USAID helps nationwide media campaign on tax corruption, evasion

TIRANA, Oct 26 – People who engage in tax corruption or evasion damage the service that you deserve. Denounce tax evasion and tax corruption.
That slogan was launched last week by the General Directorate of Taxation (GDT) as part of a month-long national media campaign to encourage Albanians to use GDT’s toll-free hotline: 0800 14 14.
Sponsored by the MCC Threshold Program (II), the campaign will improve how the GDT tracks and investigates allegations of tax evasion and corruption. Its overall message is that tax compliance is a civic duty that affects the integrity of the entire system. Evasion and corrupt actions by some taxpayers and officials undermine the legitimate expectations of all taxpayers for fairness.
GDT believes in working for and with citizens to shed light on these cases and clear the air.
“Our ultimate goal, said General Director of Taxation Artur Papajani, is to foster a tax system based on voluntary compliance that builds public trust in the objectivity, competence and integrity of the tax administration.”
Each call to the GDT’s toll-free hotline is tracked through an automated system. Cases are then forwarded either to the GDT Internal Investigation Unit for corruption allegations, or to the GDT Criminal Investigation Department for tax evasion denunciations. Calls to the hotline are strictly confidential and the anonymity of the source is protected. Citizens can also submit a written denunciation by visiting www.tatime.gov.al, downloading a form, filling it out and sending it to GDT by email, mail, or hand-delivering it in person
The campaign includes a national radio spot, a TV banner, billboards in 11 cities, and an informational brochure distributed throughout the country.
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.