First Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Klyuev on Nov. 23 said changes to the tax code could be introduced after President Viktor Yanukovych signs the bill into law.
"We agreed that we would look into all suggestions, and we also said we will support good suggestions," Klyuev was quoted by reporters as saying. He added that meeting with tax code protest organizers are planned for the evening of Nov. 23, as well as on Nov. 24 during the middle of the day.
"I think that by the end of tomorrow we will formulate all the options, which will be supported," Klyuev said.
Oleksandr Danylyuk, one of the protest organizers, told the Kyiv Post on Nov. 23 that demonstrators have four key demands:
1. Veto the tax code.
2. Cancel the single social tax.
3. Cancel the pension fund tax for people paying a simple flat tax.
4. Dismissal of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and deputy prime ministers Sergei Tigipko and Borys Kolesnykov.
Danylyuk said organizers would accept a higher single flat tax, but insists on eliminating social and pension fund taxes.
Another group of protest organizers representing trade union members on Nov. 22 made addition demands:
1. Pass a law, according to which the minimum living wage is determined by a National Council of social partnership managed by trade union leaders, employers and government authorities. Pensions should not be taxed.
2. Minimum pensions should be raised to the level of the minimum living wage.
3. Social and value-added taxes for those paying simple flat tax should be lowered.
4. A special section of the tax code providing a simplified system for calculating revenue and outlays for small business owners engaged in trade, construction, service industries and agriculture, should be drafted.
5. Ukraine’s oppressive tax-collecting state organ, the State Tax Administration, which is notoriously corrupt, must be reformed.
6. Immediate compliance with international obligations for transfering regulation of economic activities to self-governing entrepreneur associations.
7. The Cabinet of Ministers must be dismissed for authoring the tax code adopted on Nov. 18 by parliament.
8. Harassment of the organizers of nationwide protests against the new tax code must end.
