Georgia raises excise tax on cigarettes

On January 1, 2015, Georgia raised the excise tax on tobacco products, including cigarettes with filters (20 units) - 20%, to 0.9 lari, on non-filter cigarettes (20 units) - 25% to 0.25 lari.

Appropriate changes to the Tax Code of Georgia were published on the official website of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic.

It is also reported that on July 1 a so-called "mixed system" tax on cigarettes with and without filters will be introduced, so that the excise duty on tobacco products "is defined by number and weight, and in accordance with their retail selling price," Interfax-Azerbaijan reports

According to amendments to the Tax Code, from March 1 of the current year excise duty on malt beer will increase by 50% from 0.4 to 0.6 lari.

Some excise rates on alcohol and alcoholic beverages, including whiskey, rum, gin, vodka and liqueurs, which currently range from 2.5 to 5 lari per liter, will double.