Source: Kapital.kz Business Portal lists the approved laws, which are entered into force on 1 January 2014.

The head of state in December 2012 ordered the government to submit to the Parliament of Kazakhstan a project of four new codes: criminal – procedural, criminal, criminal – executive and the Code of Administrative Offences.

N. Nazarbayev believes that the adoption of key legislation acts conceptually modernizing the criminal justice system gives an opportunity to adequately respond to contemporary challenges.

Last year can rightly be called as the year of increasing the punishment for criminal offenses and misdemeanors. In mid-December, the first deputy prosecutor of RK Johann Merkel said that for drunk driving in the new draft Penal Code a punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 7 years is provided for.

Deputy Prosecutor General recalled that the interagency working group found that if, as a result of an accident a man died, and the perpetrator was drunk when driving, it is a serious crime. He noted that conciliation is not possible for Serious Crimes.

Owners of expensive SUVs in 2013 were pretty nervous because of the tax increase on the car engine with capacity of more than 3 thousand cubic meters. Increasing tax on motor vehicles is provided by the draft amendments to the law on taxation. The document contains provisions to increase taxes on cars with an engine capacity of more than 3 thousand cubic meters. cm, produced in Kazakhstan or imported into the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan after 31 December 2013.

Amendments provide for a tax increase on cars with an engine of more than 3 thousand cubic centimeters. In particular, the rates for vehicles with a volume of 3 to 3.2 liters will be 35 monthly calculation index (MCI), from 3.2 to 3.5 liters – 46 MCI, from 3.5 to 4 liters – to 66 MCI.

In addition, deputies debated in the Majilis, and proposed to raise taxes on cars with engines over 4 liters: 4 to 5 liters – 130 MCI, more than 5 liters – 200 MCI. New tax rates will apply to vehicles that have been acquired on 1 January 2014.

The amendments abolish tax breaks on cars with an engine of more than 4 liters for war veterans and persons equated to them.

On 21 November 2013 members of the Senate adopted the law “On amendments to some legislative acts of Kazakhstan on issues of taxation.” In this regard, in order to discourage people to consume socially harmful goods one envisages increase of excise rates on alcohol and tobacco products. Thus, the proposed amendments gradually increase the rate of excise duty on alcohol products with a strong 500 tenge per liter of alcohol to 1,600 tenge per liter.

Rate of excise duty on tobacco products in the period from 2014 to 2016 will be increased from 1550 to KZT 5 thousand tenge per one thousand pieces or annually .

Law increases twice the base rate when assessing property for tax purposes: from 30 th to 60 th at 1 sq. m in Astana and Almaty from 18 th to 36 th at 1 sq. m in the regional centers.

The amendments provide for a rate hike on property tax doubled to 2% of the assessment of property of $ 150 mln and above. Earlier, this rate ranged from 0.05% for the assessed value of property to 1 million tenge, up to 1% – for homes valued in excess of 120 million tenge.

In addition, in order to improve efficiency of land use for housing or other building not used for its intended purpose, one envisages increasing tax rates on the land 10 times.

On 1 January 2014, in Kazakhstan one introduced a temporary ban on the export of certain types of petroleum products. The ban will last for 6 months.”In order to prevent a critical shortage and rising prices of petroleum products on the domestic market of the Republic of Kazakhstan, government decided to introduce a six-month ban on the export of light distillates and products, kerosene, gas oil and other petroleum products, except for special gasoline and home heating oil ” as document says.

Finally, the big news for socially vulnerable segments of society – from the New Year we expect increase in pensions by 9%.”From 1 January 2014 – to make pension payments increase by nine per cent of the pension payments received by … citizens of Kazakhstan, receiving a pension before 1 January 1998, who have reached retirement age, military personnel, special government and law enforcement agencies that have been assigned special ranks class ranks, as well as to persons whose rights have a special rank, ranks and wear the uniforms were abolished on 1 January 2012, eligible for retirement benefits for years of service, ” the ruling states.

It also reported that the amount of public basic social disability benefits, survivor and age will also be increased due to changes in the cost of living. The amount of public benefits will be increased as per lists # 1 and # 2, the monthly allowance for child care due to the increased size of MCI .

Source: Kapital.kz Business Portal.