Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

First Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee says, the committee will successfully fulfill assignments for state budget of 2014 through collection of customs duties and taxes.

Safar Mehdiyev said this at a board meeting held on achievements of 2013 and the forthcoming task.

"The progress of the national economy in 2013 has paved the way for the development of customs system in Azerbaijan. Every year forecast for budget assignments is over fulfilled. Thereby SCC provides the country's economic security at high level," he said.

Informing the participants of the meeting on Azerbaijan achievements in 2013, Mehdiyev said some 149 countries became Azerbaijan's foreign trade partners last year, and the country formed positive trade balance worth $ 13.3 billion.

"Azerbaijan's foreign trade turnover reached $34.7 billion in 2013. Forecast for assignments to the state budget has been defined at the level of 1.38 billion manats for the State Committee and fulfilled by 100.2 percent. In 2013, funds worth 1.383 billion manats received from payment of customs duties and excise taxes were transferred to the state budget," he said.

"The corresponding budget forecast for 2014 has been increased as well," Mehdiyev added.

"We have been assigned to ensure the flow of funds in the amount of 1.52 billion manats. Forecast for assignments to the state budget has increased by nearly 10 percent compared to past year. I am sure that this forecast will be fulfilled successfully," he noted.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev approved the state budget for 2014 on December 19. Revenues and expenses for the next year are projected to be 18.384 billion manats and 20.063 billion mantas, respectively.

The State Committee intends to take several steps in different fields in 2014, including further improvement of sanitary, veterinary, and hygienic control on the state border and measures on checking the documents on goods and vehicles imported into the country.

Moreover, there are measures to improve the efficiency of customs procedures and qualifications of staff working in this sphere. Customs will continue to pursue the proper work on protecting intellectual property rights on the basis of statements by the owners of these rights.

The State Committee will also continue to keep the work on further acceleration of operations related to international cargo transportation and security under control.