MIRA's Efforts to Recover Unpaid Taxes Show Positive Results: Zareer

Tax Commissioner Hassan Zareer has announced that the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) is making significant progress in recovering unaccounted funds owed to the state, with a notable increase in tax revenue. Speaking on a PSM program, Zareer highlighted MIRA’s proactive approach in engaging taxpayers and implementing payment plans, leading to promising results.

"MIRA’s most important work is to recover the unaccounted money," Zareer said, emphasizing the agency’s ongoing dialogue with major taxpayers to find workable solutions for settling their dues. These efforts include arranging tax payments through installment plans, which have encouraged many taxpayers to start making payments regularly.

Zareer noted that as a result of these efforts, MIRA has seen significant improvements in revenue collection, with July surpassing expectations by 15%, August by 33%, and September by 31%. This uptick in tax payments reflects growing cooperation between taxpayers and the government.

The recovery of unpaid funds has also garnered attention at the highest levels of government. Speaking at the Independence Day function, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu underscored the importance of reclaiming the state’s dues. He indicated that the government would pursue legal action if necessary but expressed confidence that at least half of the unaccounted funds could be recovered without resorting to court proceedings. President Muizzu emphasized that these efforts are crucial to maintaining the country’s economic sovereignty and avoiding further debt.