Uzbekistan’s state budget in the years 2016 and 2017 fell short of 439 billion soums from the former Abu Sahiy market, an imported goods market in Tashkent, previously owned by the late President Islam Karimov’s son-in-law Timur Tilyaev, with the cash reportedly channeled offshore, the Akhborot 24 on Uzbekistan 24 channel reported.
After the market changed its owner (the new owner was not disclosed) and was renamed to Tashkent Savdo Markazi (transl. Tashkent Shopping Center) complex in January, the amount of taxes paid increased, with the range of goods expanded and prices cut, a story prepared by the multimedia center of the General Prosecutor's Office said.
With the change of ownership, revenues from renting out of stores increased 5-fold (hinting to the fact that before these revenues were not declared): from 381 million to 1.9 billion soums, from other types of rent – by 4 times: from 307 million to 1.3 billion soums, from rent of temporary warehouses - by 6.5 times: from 70 million to 460 million soums, from parking and other services – by almost twice: from 1.2 billion to 2 billion soums, from advertising - by 30 times - from 4 million to 120 million soums.
82 billion soums of customs payments were levied from Abu Sahiy for the entire year of 2017, however in only 3 months Toshkent Savdo Markazi has already paid 53 billion soums. By the end-year of 2018, the figure is projected to reach 212 billion soums, according to the report.
