SUPREME SOVIET WANTS TO EXEMPT CHURCH PROPERTY FROM NEW TAX
Institute of Religious Liberty, 21 April 2015
The parliamentary Committee on Questions of Tax and Customs Policy has recommended to the Supreme Soviet to adopt bill No. 2226 as law, exempting immovable property of religious organizations from taxation.
Deputies adopted this decision after comprehensive discussion at a session of the committee on 20 April 2015, the Institute of Religious Liberty reports.
In the end, the committee supported editorial additions to the Tax Code of Ukraine, exempting from taxation: "Objects of immovable property owned by religious organizations, whose charters (regulations) are registered in accordance with the procedure established by law and used exclusively for implementing their charter activity, including those in which the activity of charitable institutions of religious organizations (orphanages, boarding schools, hospitals, etc.) is based, except for objects of immovable property in which manufacturing and/or commercial activity is conducted."
Thus, the only objects of immovable property of religious organizations and charitable institutions established by them that are exempt from taxation are those which are not used for manufacturing and commercial activity.
In their appeal, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations called representatives of various political forces to support the proposed changes for the sake of creating appropriate conditions for religious organizations to conduct their socially important ministry.
This version was also supported at the committee's session by representatives of the State Fiscal Service, the Ministry of Finances of Ukraine, the Institute of Religious Liberty, and representatives of churches of various confessions in attendance.
The voting on bill No. 2226 is scheduled for this Thursday, 23 April. On the same day, the Supreme Soviet's agenda includes a consideration on second reading of draft law No. 1447 concerning granting religious organizations the right to establish educational institutions of state curriculum education. A majority of parliamentary fractions supported these initiatives on first reading.
As the Institute of Religious Liberty reported, on 7 April the Supreme Soviet adopted draft laws No. 2226 and No. 1447 in principle and instructed the standing committees to prepare them for second reading by an expedited procedure. (tr. by PDS, posted 21 April 2015)
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