Among the hundreds of thousands of tax deferred: MG Baltic companies, politicians businesses, casinos

Since December 14, the STI publishes and updates every Monday the list of companies with more than 100,000. back taxes.

Although more than 62,000 people are included in the lists of victims of Covid-19. companies, the STI uses tax relief measures (exemption from late payment interest and suspension of tax recovery actions) only every third, that is, around 22 thousand.

At that time more than 100 thousand. According to data from December 28, 1,066 companies had 19 arrears (19 less than on December 14). At the same time, the amounts of taxes paid by these companies to the STI in 2019 and 2020 are also disclosed.

“We observe that the companies affected by Covid-19, although they have a tax delay, are considered indebted to the budget and the information published does not affect their activities or their participation in public procurement,” emphasized the Legal Department of CTI. director Rasa Virvilienė.

It is also reported that 131.2 million. 2,000 euros have already been made. tax loan agreements with companies and individuals. Remaining tax loan agreements must be concluded by February 28, 2021.

Apranga has postponed nearly 10 million.

At the end of December, clothing retailer Apranga and its subsidiaries, indirectly owned by the MG Baltic company mentioned in the ongoing political corruption case, had failed to pay LTL 9.94 million to the STI. euros.

The list includes a total of eight MG Baltic companies: Apranga and its subsidiaries Apranga LT, Apranga MLT, Apranga BPB LT, Apranga PLT, Apranga SLT, Apranga HLT, Ropa OLT.

According to the Registry of Legal Entities, Apranga’s shareholders are MG Baltic Investment and Minvista, managed by Darius Mockkus, and Swedbank AS in Estonia.

As Rimantas Perveneckas, CEO of Apranga Group, commented on Delfi, the tax-deferred amount consists of government-guaranteed assistance to a business affected by Covid-19 during the spring quarantine, during which the Apranga Group stores were closed for 45 days.

“In October we were among the first to sign an agreement with the STI on the refund of deferred taxes and we regularly pay current taxes, and deferred taxes will be paid according to the agreed schedule.

It was the most operational measure that quickly became operational and helped companies adjust solvency problems during the first quarantine period, ”he said.

According to the STI, the aforementioned Apranga companies paid LTL 24 million in 2019. € 9.3 million in taxes for 2020. €.

Matijošaičiai reserved 6.4 million.

Amber food, a restaurant chain owned in part by Kaunas mayor Visvaldas Matijošaitis, one of the wealthiest Lithuanian politicians, has booked 2 million. euros.

The shareholders of the Amber food group are Delta Investicijos, a company owned by V. Matijošaitis, and Gediminas Balnis, which heads the network.

“Covid-19 has been negatively affected,” he told Delfi, noting that this year’s reserve was high due to the high taxes paid last year.

In 2019, Amber Food paid 4.8 million LTL to STI. EUR, and in 2020 – in December – 820 thousand. euros.

“It just came to our attention then. Some smart hours will have to be made. We are no different there, the whole market is like that. We will follow that schedule. We hope that decisions will be made at the level of the European Union on how the sector will have to behave”, G. Balnis said.

Another 4.3 million. The company “Autovici”, Šarūnas Matijošaitis, son of V. Matijošaitis and member of the Kaunas City Council, which sells cars, has postponed

His representatives did not comment on Delfi. In 2019, Autovici STI paid 6.8 million LTL. 1.9 million euros as of December 2020. euros.

400 thousand are missing in Vikonda.

The Vikonda Group, which belonged to the former wife of Labor Party chairman Viktoras Uspaskichs Jolanta Blažytė and her daughter Laura Blažytė, had not paid 400 thousand. euros.

In 2019, K Factorydainiai Conservatory Factory, ice cream producer Vikeda, farmer Krekenava and Kėdainių aruodus, as well as several other groups that run the company, paid LTL 304,000 to STI. EUR, and in 2020 – for 280 thousand. euros.

As Tomas Želionis, Vikonda’s director of marketing and communication, informed Delfi, the entire group management is on vacation and will only be able to answer questions after January 5.

On the side of the Minister – 1.9 million.

Another 1.9 million. The STI has not paid Makveža, which runs the Moki-veži home goods stores. The shareholders of this company are Catus, led by the Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivis and Mindaugas Sinkevičius, and Gintautas Butkevičius and Rolandas Pletkus.

Eglė Gružauskienė, Marketing Manager at Makveza, said that during the first wave of Covid-19, they had to close up to 24 Moki-veži stores with more than 700 employees.

However, by concentrating and taking advantage of the benefits that the state provides, we have succeeded not only in saving all jobs, but also in recruiting over 40 new people. We began paying tax deferred payments to the STI in early fall.

However, due to the sharp increase in the number of patients and the decision of the government to restrict the activities of the retail sector and transform the stores into collection points, the turnover fell drastically in the entire DIY market, including our company. At the moment, given the current situation, we must make the necessary decisions to adjust the previous plans and postpone the tax refund.

The health of our employees and customers is our priority, so during the first wave of Covid-19, we will dedicate all our energy to maximum retention of jobs and, as the government eases operational restrictions, we will try to reimburse the accumulated deferred tax as soon as possible, ”he said.

In 2019, Makveža STI paid 3.8 million. 2.7 million euros for 2020 until December. euros.

Unpaid and casino

The ITS list also includes companies licensed as gambling operators.

For example, Olympic Casino Group Baltija had not paid LTL 2.6 million on December 28. euros. “We will refrain from commenting at this time,” their representatives responded to Delfi’s query.

In 2019, VMI, which operates nine casinos in five cities across the country, paid 4.9 million LTL. 1.2 million euros by 2020. euros.

At that time, the Nesė casino had reserved 390 thousand. euros. In 2019, it had paid 1.2 million. EUR, in 2020 until December – 290 thousand. euros.

According to Inga Česnakienė, executive director of the company’s Delfi, they have suffered from Covid-19 perhaps even more than the restaurant and hospitality sector.

“Because it was this activity that could not claim any support or subsidy as a direct victim (except subsidies for downtime). We didn’t get any explanation, it seems that Invega just dropped the restrictions from their old wording and so on.

Gambling activities are legal in Lithuania, activity fees are one of the highest, and support is stagnant. When consulted by the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, it was answered that this is not the branch of the business that should be “thrown away” today, he said.

I. Česnakienė explained that 390 thousand. The postponement of the euro was due to the obligation to comply with the Gaming Law.

“The company must maintain large provisions for the distribution of profits and they cannot be used. For example, in our company it is about 860 thousand euros. If we do not have them, the license will be suspended.

Therefore, after the first quarantine, due to the decrease in income from gambling activities and even the maximum optimization of expenses, a gambling tax and a debt for personal income tax of the state were created. Until Covid-19, the company never had debts with the state, “he said.

I. Česnakienė also said that the tax payment plan would be dictated by the state. However, it is already clear that 2 years will not be enough to pay it, a longer term will be needed. We will say that it will be the maximum that it will allow and that the interest will be minimal ”, he added.

According to the STI, 14 thousand. has not paid the casino Tete-a-tete. The company’s chief accountant, Anželika Prakupimienė Delfi, explained that “debts have been formed and there will be no initial declarations, which will not be adjusted.”

“Since November 6, our company has not been operating slot machine showrooms, which accounts for about 77 percent. Of all activities (387 employees in full downtime). As a result, data such as payments of income tax are constantly reviewed, as they were calculated from September data, when data on downtime was not available. So the company does not have debts that require loan agreements or payment schedules “, said.

In 2019, Tete-a-Tete Casino’s STI paid LTL 3.5 million. 3.4 million euros for 2020 until December. euros.

The ITS list still includes the gambling organizers VSGA (postponement of 540 thousand euros), Novogaming Vilnius (postponement of 440 thousand euros) and Limonas (postponement of 160 thousand euros), but they did not respond to inquiries of Delfi.

In 2019, VSGA paid 1.5 million LTL to STI. EUR, in 2020 until December – 690 thousand. euros. In 2019, Novogaming Vilnius paid 1 million LTL. EUR, in 2020 until December – 250 thousand. euros. In 2019, Limonas paid 75 thousand. EUR, in 2020 until December – 65 thousand. euros.