Experts: 'Online survey on economic reforms is very important'

Baku. 24 June. REPORT.AZ/ The initiative of studying the public bids on economic reforms in Azerbaijan is a positive development.

Report informs, said Azerbaijani MP Vahid Ahmadov, commenting on provision of an online survey by the Service of the Presidential Assistant on Economic Reforms and Center for Analysis and Communication of Economic Reforms.  

"If the Service of the Presidential Assistant on Economic Reforms and Center for Analysis and Communication of Economic Reforms are engaged in this work, if they want to learn about issues that are in interests of the population, this is a positive development. The president manages the economic reforms. An authority prosecuting the economic reforms should be the government. The government is under direct command of the President. Of course, the government should work flexible", said V.Ahmadov.

"The main issue is the implementation of such proposals", the deputy added. 

Report was told by independent economist Samir Aliyev, if any group or organization that represents the state appeal to the public, if try to deal on the issue, it just should be welcomed.

"I think that all opinions must be taken into account when making decisions. These steps have been taken in the past and were incomplete. It's necessary to know how long the process will last, or which opinions will be taken into account. Provision of the economic reforms is very important. I think, despite the growth of world oil prices, Azerbaijan should give up the oil and try to develop the non-oil sector", said S.Aliyev.

Chairman of the Association for International Economic Studies (AIES) Fikret Yusifov said that the present survey will provide a correct direction of economic reforms in the country: "These surveys play a positive role from the point of effectiveness of reforms. The study of public opinion in decision-making is very important to eliminate existing shortcomings. It’s necessary to conduct a survey before and after any economic reform. That is, should be identified what the public wants and how the reform has justified itself, which results were gained. For example, recently have been taken certain decisions in connection with the customs checkpoints. It is necessary to find out from the public, how the new mechanisms work." 

In recent months the public extensively discusses the appeal of managers of large retail chains (supermarkets) to the Ministry of Economic Affairs with a request to introduce tax breaks for them, as they suggested zero rate of VAT on domestically produced socially important food staples, as well cancel VAT on meat, fish, milk, flour, eggs, rice, oil, vegetables, fruits and baby food.

Notably, Service of the Presidential Assistant on Economic Reforms and Center for Analysis and Communication of Economic Reforms are conducting an online survey.

Report informs, purpose of survey is to study public opinion about economic reforms in Azerbaijan and new reform proposals.

In the first survey, participants are invited to respond within 10 days to the question: "What changes do you propose to make to the tax legislation and administration in the Republic of Azerbaijan?".

The survey is open to all legal persons, regardless of their form of ownership and organizational-legal form, individual entrepreneurs and citizens.

To participate in survey go to the following link: http: //iqtisadiislahat.org/online-application.