Standing your ground
The other day, we had a very strange visit from the tax inspector.
Actually, there were two of them. It was obvious that they were from the tax authority because one of them was in uniform. Yes, tax inspectors here in Kyrgyzstan have a uniform. He also showed us his identity card, and, to be honest, we might have made a mistake because we didn’t make a note of his name and number. Normally, it wouldn’t be too important, because he should give us a copy of the order authorizing the inspection and he would identified in that – so, we would simply have to check details on the identity card against those in the document. The trouble was, he didn’t have a document.
He said that they were working “po spiskiy” – they had a list of organizations and they were checking just one thing. From us, they wanted to see the details our rental agreement for the office … was the landlord paying tax on the income?
He was a bit surprised when we said “No, we won’t give you that information.”
In an attempt to try and persuade us to back down, he said that he was checking us … he just needed information from us so that they could check on the landlord.
As it happens, that phrase always makes me suspicious … the suspicion is probably unfounded, but it always seems odd that it used to try and persuade me to do something As it happens, in this particular case, I know that the income is declared and that the tax due is, indeed, paid. However, I am not convinced that, in the event that they did discover some sort of infringement there would be no comeback against us.
I pointed out that what he was asking was basically confidential information … he was entitled to receive that information, but only if he produced an order. If I gave the information to anyone who walked in through the door, then my clients and business partners might have grounds for complaint. Give me the appropriate order and I will give him the information … no problem. Indeed, I would be obliged to give it to him.
It’s not the first time we have faced this problem: someone claiming to be an inspector asking for information, which they might well be entitled to receive, but without the necessary authorization. We’ve turned them all away.
He took the point and promised to come back with an order … that was over a week ago, and he still hasn’t come back … at least, not so far.
I turned my attention to the second person who was standing by taking everything in with a wry smile on his face … he was a large, fit looking individual. He was not in uniform, and when I asked him who he was, he simply said: “I’m with him”. That was obvious, so I asked if he also worked for the tax authorities and when he said, “Yes”, I asked him for his identification? He didn’t have it … it was in the car. So I told him to go and fetch it. He looked astounded. I explained that if he was a tax inspector, here on official business, then he was obliged to show me his identification. If he wasn’t an inspector, or wasn’t on official business, then he had no business here. “You either show me your identification, or you leave.” He chose to leave.
I turned back to the first inspector and pointed out that last March we had an incident in the office where I had a knife pressed against my throat and my cleaner had a knife pressed against her stomach. As a result we are much more security conscious than we were a year ago and more so than most people are.
Once again, he took the point.
I ought to point out that it wasn’t an unpleasant encounter. At all times he was polite and businesslike, if a little curt at the start. There were no threats, nor any suggestion of anything improper … and I also ought to point out that if he had presented me with the appropriate authorization, then we would have given him the information he needed.
Bishkek