Bill containing new tax regulations in the Grand National Assembly: 'Provisions are unconstitutional' reaction

Prior to the deliberations on the entirety of the bill, CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir and Yeni Yol Party Group Deputy Chairman Selçuk Özdağ requested a procedural debate, stating that some articles of the bill were unconstitutional and that they opposed it being debated as a "fundamental law."

Following the evaluations made by the deputies regarding the procedural debate, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Pervin Buldan stated that the motion regarding unconstitutionality had been discussed during the committee stage and that the motion had been rejected by the committee.

Buldan said, "When looking at the past practices of the TBMM, it is seen that the fundamental law method is a procedure frequently used as a type of special legislative method and has been adopted as a different procedure for the deliberation of laws. There are many examples where a bill of 9-10 articles was debated as a fundamental law."

Subsequently, in the General Assembly, deliberations began on the entirety of the bill, which also includes regulations regarding taxes.

Speaking on the entirety of the bill, Yeni Yol Party Adana Deputy Sadullah Kısacık argued that there was not a single article in the bill that would benefit the citizens.

Claiming that the tax burden was being placed on the shoulders of the citizens with the bill, Kısacık said, "The Ministry of Finance has fallen into this position: 'How can I collect more from the citizen?' 'What can I collect, what taxes, fees, and fines can I take from the citizen?' It is completely preoccupied with this. In this bill we are discussing, there are regulations that increase the burden and cost of living, primarily the removal of exemptions in vehicle sales, the removal of exemptions in residential leasing, and the removal of certain deductions and exemptions that encourage employment in social security."

Using the expression, "Weren't we fighting inflation?", Kısacık argued that while sacrifice was being demanded from everyone, the public sector was not sacrificing anything.

Kısacık claimed that the government does not care about the fight against inflation.

İYİ Party Samsun Deputy Erhan Usta stated that there is an expectation among citizens for education expenses to be deductible from wages.

Stating that the regulation would end the practice of showing interest on housing loans as an expense, Usta noted that while there is no tax exemption for those buying homes, those buying workplaces will be able to use this exemption.

Explaining that the 4 percent title deed fee is high, Usta said, "What needs to be done here is to lower the 4 percent title deed fee. We must also see that resistance to such high taxes will increase."

Criticizing the regulation on collecting annual fees in some business lines, Usta said, "Instead of increasing the number of chickens in the coop, we are putting pressure on the chickens in the coop. A retired police officer is working as a real estate agent, and now we are imposing an additional burden on him. This regulation will bring about informality. We saw this in currency exchange offices. There are 5 thousand unregistered offices. Five times as many offices are opening as there are registered ones."

Criticizing the fact that the income obtained by associations and foundations is tax-exempt, Usta said, "Associations and foundations are not already being audited effectively. If they have commercial activities, they should be taxed."

Following Usta's speech, Deputy Speaker of the TBMM Buldan adjourned the session. After the break, due to the committee not being present, Buldan closed the session to reconvene on Tuesday, November 25, at 15:00.

News Source: 12punto