CHP MP Antmen: No Tax for Jewelry, Tax Increase for Books

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Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Mersin MP Alpay Antmen has addressed the recent tax increases imposed on electronic publications in the parliament.

Value added tax for e-books and e-newspapers has risen from 1 percent to 18 percent, for e-magazines has risen from 8 percent to 18 percent with a Presidential Decree on December 19.

CLICK - Increase in Value Added Tax on Electronic Newspapers, Magazines, Books

In a parliamentary question to Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, Antmen has reminded that "Turkey ranks 86th in the world in book reading rates, in the same category with poor African countries."

"Does your government, which does not tax diamond jewelry, luxury boat fuel and writes off millions of liras of tax liability of partisan businessmen, consider not taxing scientific and cultural magazines, articles and works of art, particularly books, e-books and audio books?" the MP has asked.

'Expenditure on books is lower than world average'

Antmen has stated that yearly expenditure on books in the world is 1,3 US Dollars per person while it is 25 cents for Turkey and in Europe, where purchasing power is much higher than Turkey, taxes on books are much lower. 

CHP MP has also asked the following questions to Treasury and Finance Minister:

"Do you consider lowering the added value tax for printing, distribution, publication and sale of books, e-books, audio books?

"What is the total amount of tax money collected from books, e-books, audio books, scientific and cultural publications, magazines and works of art between 2002 and 2018?

"Do you consider supporting readers, publishers, academics and artists?" (AÖ/VK)