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Ola Xama: The fiscal stamp concession raised 100 million euros, the price 10 times more expensive than in EU countries
2025-04-07 22:39:53 / AKTUALITET
Journalist Ola Xama showed on the show "The Unexposed" on MCN TV one of the concessions that have ruined the state budget, citizens have paid more, while private companies have taken the money.
This is what happened with the concession of fiscal stamps that was granted during the Berisha government and increased during the Rama government, while their price was 10 times higher than in the EU.
"There were 4 concession contracts in the fiscal field given by the Berisha government. The Socialist Party took the commitment to remove them. Fiscal stamps were offered by the state before, but they were given by concession and the price for cigarettes or wine quadrupled. From 2012 to 2023, about 100 million euros were collected through the tariff that the concessionary company has set from fiscal stamps, but we have no analysis of how much evasion in the field of smuggling of excise goods has decreased and how much excise has increased from this concession. What is known is that Albanian citizens have paid for more expensive goods and the state budget has received normal tariffs, just like when the state had it and the profit went to the private company, about 7.4 million euros.
The company received this contract without competition during the Berisha government. The company is registered in Switzerland, where there is a jurisdiction that offers anonymity to its owners.
With the obligation to declare the beneficial owners, there are two Swiss citizens as the ultimate beneficiaries of the SICPA company. But it should be an Albanian businessman, but we do not have it documented. The SP government made a commitment to undo the 4 concessions, but today they have been postponed for years and revenues have increased, the contract for stamps in 2023 ended but was postponed for another year, and then the decision was made that it would be returned to the state. Now the Securities Printing House will do it.
Now, with a VKM, they have found a company in the United Arab Emirates that has 51 percent and 49 percent is owned by SICPA, which is again based in Switzerland, and an Albanian is there.
The average price in the EU was 3 euros for 1000 fiscal stamps, in Albania it was 22-23 euros depending on the product, so 10 times more. The government decided to lower the price by 5 euros but again, but now we are 8 times more than the average of EU countries. This money for excise goods is paid by Albanian citizens. Now if the Printing House of Securities had this money, the state would take it, but it says why should I take it, but I am sharing it with this private company in half "- said Xama.
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