Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
September 5, 2016
The Afghan Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA) has said that it will ground Safi Airways, one of the country’s major airlines, for failing to pay taxes amounting to 1.6 billion afghanis ($16.7 million).
“On September 6, all domestic flights, and on September 8 all international flights are suspended,” ACAA said in a statement on September 4.
ACAA said the airline had failed to pay its taxes and debts to the Ministry of Finance over a two-year period from March 2011 to March 2013, even though it had been repeatedly warned “to take action.”
The Afghan government has given the company one month to “pay its debts and taxes through the previously agreed upon terms” or else “the tax department can request seizure and sale of all airline assets via the court.”
Safi Airways operates 74 flights each week to seven domestic and international destinations.
Based on reporting by dpa and Khaama
Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.
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