In Russia, unpopular initiatives are usually announced not before elections, but after them

In Russia, unpopular initiatives are usually announced not before elections, but after them. That is what happened this time as well. The State Duma elections ended on September 20, and almost immediately afterward the authorities started talking about new levies. This despite both Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov and Finance Minister Anton Siluanov promising that tax hikes should not be expected in the near future.

The Finance Ministry put forward three proposals at once. First, to tax passive income at rates of 13-22% instead of the current 13-15%. Second, to introduce value-added tax (VAT) on purchases from foreign online stores. Third, to introduce a 100-ruble fee on parcels from abroad worth up to 200 euros.

The government is also reminding people about the planned increase in the vehicle recycling fee in 2027 (it will rise by 10-20%) and is discussing a new fee for airline passengers (up to 2,000 rubles for an international ticket). And in the Federation Council, officials are saying that the tax for self-employed couriers and drivers should be raised from 4-6% to 13%.

@meduzalive