Mizzima
According to an announcement made by the Myanmar embassy in Russia, the Myanmar state will collect income taxes from Myanmar nationals living in Russia starting from 7 February 2024.
The announcement of Myanmar embassy in Moscow dated 7 February 2024 says that Myanmar nationals living in Russia must pay income tax with the taxable date starting from 1 October 2023 at the rate of 2% of their monthly salary.
The Myanmar embassy says that they will give their consular services including renewal of the passports of the Myanmar nationals only after paying their income taxes.
The Military Council announced that all Myanmar expatriates staying and working in foreign countries must pay 2% of their monthly salaries as income tax and they must send 25% of their salaries to their families in Myanmar as remittances through the official banking system.
A notification issued by the Military Council’s Ministry of Planning and Finance dated 22 November 2023 says that Myanmar nationals staying and working in foreign countries must pay income tax starting from 1 October 2023.
But on 8 January 2024, 16 pro-democracy organizations at home and abroad called on Myanmar nationals staying and working in foreign countries not to pay “blood money” to the junta.
Their joint statement, “Letter to People”, says that the taxes received by the Military Council will be used for purchasing aviation fuel and ammunition to kill innocent people so the people are requested to join their campaign in cutting off these blood taxes.
The rights groups and pro-democracy organizations are calling for the closing of the foreign bank accounts of the Military Council which are receiving taxes forcibly being collected from the Myanmar migrant workers including Singapore and Thailand.
