The Tax Administration of Kosovo has imposed tax obligations on the singer Sinan Vllasaliu, based on the information it received from the posts of music clubs on social networks where the singer had to perform, tax inspector Fidan Tolaj said in the trial against Vllasaliu on Thursday.
The famous singer is accused of having damaged the state with 24 thousand 270 euros, avoiding taxes, reports "Oath of Justice".
Tolaj stated that these clubs inside Kosovo were also inspected by the Kosovo Police, while they had no information about those outside the country except for the posters they posted on social networks. During this session, the TAK inspector testified regarding the investigations and inspections that the TAK had done regarding the singer Sinan Vllasaliu regarding his tax obligations, adding that every income must be declared to the TAK even if the taxes were paid abroad. Tolaj, among other things, emphasized the fact that the accused Vllasaliu did not bring evidence about the income declared in America, even though he said he would. Responding to the question of the prosecutor Elza Bajrami, the witness Tolaj said that the criminal report filed by TAK was submitted to the Prosecutor with the attached evidence. However, in this particular case, the final report has not been compiled by TAK, since according to Tolaj, during the investigation phase, the prosecutor of the case was informed that a plea agreement was reached with Vllasali.
Vllasali's defense lawyer, Florent Latifaj, disputed the inspector's statements after saying that TAK did not draft the final report as it was supposed to. Latifaj said that Tolaj did not give a correct answer when asked why this final report was not drawn up. According to the lawyer, it is not allowed to derive the average based on the posters of the clubs.
Tolaj said that the average was derived based on Vllasali's statements that he receives around 2000 to 2500 euros for the nights he sings.
"From all the information we received, we took an average and we also based it on his statement that we interviewed him. The same has stated that somewhere around 2000-2500 euros, we have received this average, then those publications that have been made, we have calculated that 2000 euros were received per night", stated Tolaj.
Among other things, Inspector Tolaj said that Vllasaiu was presented as a regular taxpayer for the years 2011-2013, while for the following years 2014-2016, these declarations are missing.
"In 2016, it cannot be a regular declaration. This shows that the taxpayer has not declared at all for 3 years", said Tolaj.
After these declarations, the court approved the proposal of the defense for the assignment of financial expertise related to the case, a proposal which was supported by the prosecutor and the authorized representative of TAK.
In such circumstances, today's session has ended and the next one will be scheduled after receiving the expertise.
According to the indictment filed on May 2, 2018, by the Basic Prosecutor's Office in Prishtina, Sinan Vllasaliu is being charged with the criminal offense of "tax evasion".
The indictment stated that the defendant Vllasaliu "as a singer and the owner of a business based in Pristina continuously for the fiscal years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 that are related to the payment of taxes, fees or other contributions to the Tax Administration of Kosovo for the purpose of illegal profit, has not declared or has partially declared the real turnover from his economic activity".
For this action, he is accused of damaging the budget of the Republic of Kosovo in the total amount of 24 thousand 270 euros and 98 cents.
With this, he is accused of having committed the criminal offense "Tax evasion" from Article 313, paragraph 2 related to paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo, this offense is punishable by a fine and imprisonment of six (6) months up to five (5) years. / Oath of Justice
