Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev took part in the session of the Senate of the Parliament, during which the draft Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On the National Budget for 2019-2021,” previously approved by the Mazhilis of the Parliament, and the Law “On the Guaranteed Transfer from the National Fund of Kazakhstan for 2019-2021" were considered.

The draft laws were presented by the Ministers of National Economy Timur Suleimenov, Minister of Finance Alikhan Smailov and Chairman of the National Bank Daniyar Akishev.

In general, the draft budget is aimed at solving three key tasks. These are ensuring the fulfillment of all social commitments made, the seven priority policies and reforms in the framework of the Strategy 2025 and the implementation of the Head of State’s Address “Growing Welfare of the Kazakh Citizens: Increase in Incomes and Quality of Life.” Thus, for the implementation of the President’s Address, the disbursements to the social unit increased by 110 billion tenge for the minimum wage rise from Jan.1, 2019, to 42,500 tenge, the construction of schools by — 50 billion tenge for three years, work of school psychologists, etc.

Prime Minister Sagintayev, answering the questions of deputies, noted that the Head of State in his Address “Growing Welfare of Kazakh Citizens: Increase in Income and Quality of Life” drew attention to this component of the Government’s work. Thus, the Government is conducting systematic work to reduce the share of the shadow economy — a plan has been adopted for 2018–2020.

According to statistics, since 2013 and to date, there has been a decrease in the volume of the shadow economy from 28% to 25%. To this end, some legislative changes of a stimulating, restrictive, administrative nature have also been developed. For example, non-cash payments will be prohibited between enterprises that operate on the basis of a patent and legal entities within a 1000-fold MCI. Sagintayev also identified the need to switch from 2020 to the massive use of online cash registers. It was noted that, according to the initial agreement with Atameken NCE, this work should have been started from 2024, but from 2018, cash registers on 17 types of goods are already in operation. From 2019, it is planned to switch to companies that operate in open markets. From 2020, enterprises that use a single land tax will be covered. Thus, from 2020, all small and medium-sized businesses will work on online cash registers. In order to ensure that there is no burden on small businesses, government incentives are applied. Taxes are reduced by 60,000 tenge, this will allow entrepreneurs to purchase cash registers.

At the same time, from 2020 all trade markets of the country should switch to a stationary format of work. In most regions, this work is already being actively carried out.

In addition, a lot of work is carried out under the Digital Kazakhstan State Program. In particular, the Astana-1 program has been launched at the border, electronic invoices, product labeling, the Nur Zholy checkpoint with the latest equipment and machinery has recently started its work at the border with China. During the 9 months of operation of these programs, the Kazakhstani services additionally revealed violations by participants in foreign economic activity, which reduce the volume of imports and the cost of imported goods. Notifications of violations worth 44 billion tenge were sent. As a result of these measures, all of these companies added up to 44 billion tenge in the budget. In 2019, it is assumed that thanks to this work, 520 billion tenge will go to the budget. This figure is reflected in the three-year budget.

During the meeting, the deputies also addressed a number of questions to Deputy Prime Minister Erbolat Dossaev, Ministers of National Economy Timur Suleimenov, Energy — Kanat Bozumbayev, Finance — Alikhan Smailov, Labor and Social Protection of the Population — Madina Abylkassymova, Vice Minister of Culture and Sports Aktoty Raimkulova.

Concluding the discussion of the issue, Bakytzhan Sagintayev thanked the deputies for their support and prompt consideration of the three-year budget. The budget is really aimed at the execution of the instructions voiced in the Address of the Head of State.

It should be noted that today the Government approved an Action Plan for the implementation of the budget. In October-November 2018, the necessary decisions were taken to implement the budget. To date, the preparatory work is being completed on some laws that are necessary for the implementation of the instructions of the Head of State: they are under consideration by Parliament.

In general, this budget will contribute to improving the welfare of Kazakhstan. At the same time, the Prime Minister stressed that the issues raised at the Senate meeting will be systematically considered in the upcoming work of the Government.

According to the results of consideration, the draft law was submitted to the Mazhilis, as amended by deputies of the Senate.

 

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