Lola Saifi requested assistance from Said Mirziyoyeva in establishing a favorable tax regime for the creative industry.

Uzbekistan, Tashkent – According to AN Podrobno.uz, Lola Saifi, the owner and art director of the Human House gallery, has reached out to the president's assistant, Saida Mirziyoeva. She has requested assistance in establishing a more favorable tax regime for those in the creative industry. The current tax conditions pose a significant risk to the survival of her business.

https://podrobno.uz/cat/obchestvo/lola-sayfi-poprosila-u-saidy-mirziyeevoy-sodeystviya-v-ustanovlenii-shchadyashchego-nalogovogo-rezhi/2025-01-10 08:13:19

She shared that Human House has gained widespread recognition globally, with visitors from 65 countries last year. The gallery has hosted over 300 events promoting the culture of Uzbekistan. However, developing such a project with private funds is, according to Saifi, quite challenging.

"We love what we do and we won't give up. But right now, I feel completely overwhelmed. The thing is, I run my business transparently. I don’t hide my income and I pay all my taxes. Last year, our turnover exceeded 1 billion sums. However, this is not my personal income," she wrote.

She explained that within this turnover, there are funds for more than 250 small artisans and craftsmen from across Uzbekistan.

"For them, as ordinary creative individuals, it's difficult to manage paperwork, so I simply paid 4% of my turnover for them as well. But now, with the transition to VAT, my taxes will increase by more than tenfold. I sat down and calculated several times. Such a tax will cripple my business," lamented the gallery owner.

Note. Companies with a turnover of less than 1 billion sums only pay a 4% profit tax. Once they exceed this threshold, they move into the category of 12% value-added tax (VAT) payers. Additionally, the turnover tax for them increases to 15%.

According to Saifi, the production costs of handmade products are excessively high, and there is not much income. Meanwhile, the gallery strives to maintain affordable prices so that guests from around the world can take a piece of our culture back to their countries.

She noted that Uzbekistan is currently in the process of developing a creative economy, and the Human House gallery is one of its beneficiaries.

"We do not have high incomes, but we create a creative product. Is it possible for us to receive a more lenient tax regime? For example, to keep the same 4% on turnover for us. After all, for a small gallery that promotes the culture of Uzbekistan worldwide, this amounts to 40,000,000 sums," she requested.

The renowned industry representative was supported by blogger Nikita Makarenko. In his opinion, the sector truly needs a simplified tax system, as "otherwise, they simply won't survive."

"Creative industries are a very fragile and delicate matter, which, to be honest, is barely hanging on in Uzbekistan. It's astonishing that this sector still exists. It survives solely on enthusiasts. Many in the industry want to work honestly and transparently. However, since their contribution to the larger 'tax pie' is quite small, the industry often goes unnoticed," he wrote in his Telegram.

We remind you that Lola Saifi gave an interview to Podrobno.uz, in which she discussed the challenges faced by the gallery business.