Trading on the illegal market of tobacco and tobacco products in Macedonia in 2010 was reduced to 6%, being a four-fold reduction compared to 2006. Effects thereof are estimated on the basis of budget revenue increase by 80%.
 
– In the last four years, Republic of Macedonia undertook number of activities aimed at reducing cigarette smuggling, and the institutions were exceptionally successful in implementing them. Five years ago, illegal cigarette market in Macedonia accounted for around 25% of the overall sale, to be reduced to below 6% today. We experience four-fold reduction of trading on the grey market compared to four years ago, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Zoran Stavreski, said at joint press conference on Friday with Minister of Internal Affairs, Gordana Jankulovska, Director of Customs Administration, Vanco Kargov, and Director of Public Revenue Office, Goran Trajkovski.
 
According to Finance Minister, this is a confirmation that measures and policies in Macedonia are successful, reflected through increased budget revenues.
 
– In 2010, compared to 2006, revenues realized from legal sale of cigarettes increased by around 80%. We have increased budget revenues on all basis: import, customs duties, VAT and excises, reduced illegal trade and regulated market by which the state and the market participants are contented, Stavreski underlined.
Director of Customs Administration, Kargov, said that series of activities were undertaken in the past period, contributing to reducing cigarette smuggling, achieving excellent results visible through the figures.
 
– Since 2006 up to date, customs duties collected on the basis of imported tobacco and tobacco products increased by 40%. Collection of health and environmental fees increased by 50%, VAT by 200% and excises by 45%, Kargov said.
 
He pointed out that reducing grey market trading of cigarettes below 6% is lower than the level in many EU Member States. In the region, such percentage is 20%, while globally, it is 12%. According to him, possibilities for organized smuggling significantly reduced, however, there are petty and small smugglers. Customs Administration, as he said, lodged 144 criminal charges for illegal trade with tobacco and tobacco products in the period 2006-2010.
 
Minister Jankulovska underlined that public has completely changed its view of the Republic of Macedonia, establishing itself as a country that knows how to fight most severe and most organized forms of crime, achieving success in this field.
 
– Figures showing that 275 criminal deeds related to Excise Law and the Criminal Code were detected from 2007 to 2010 speak in favour thereto. Measures were also undertaken against 308 perpetrators, 22 out of which were Bulgarian citizens, one Albanian and one Turkish. 30 tones of different cigarettes were seized, amounting to more than EUR 2.5 million, Jankulovska said.
 
She pointed out that, in the period 2007-2010, six cases of abuse by managing persons were detected, whereby criminal charges against 68 managing persons in joint stock companies and limited liability companies, who illegally acquired property in the amount of EUR 60 million, were lodged.
 
One of the cases that marked this fight against organized crime, as she said, was “Ash” operation, in which criminal activities were tolerated for 10 or so years by the authorities who, in the past, had no ear for fight against crime and corruption. Abuse of over EUR 50 million was detected in this action.
 
According to Jankulovska, it is of key importance for the Republic of Macedonia to establish itself as a country that can also respond to the most severe forms of crime, which was also highlighted in the reports of the international institutions and organizations.(MIA)
