Russian deputy min backs operators’ idea of extra tax to store data

MOSCOW, Jul 7 (PRIME) -- Russian Deputy Communications Minister Dmitry Alkhazov has supported an idea of mobile operators to introduce an additional 1% tax on revenue to raise money for construction of data processing centers under an initiative obliging operators to store content of talks and messages, Alkhazov told PRIME on Thursday.

“I see this suggestion as a confirmation of availability of financial resources inside the industry. And I support by all means not only financing of implementation of the antiterrorist pack (of bills), but also of a number of other unsettled issues inside the industry,” Alkhazov said.

Mass media reported earlier that heads of mobile operators MegaFon and MTS had offered deputy Irina Yarovaya, an author of the pack of much-criticized bills, to start charging 1% of operators’ revenue to build data processing centers. Such a low tax would have no impact on the industry, they said.

Communications operators said earlier that the adoption of the measure would double or triple tariffs for users. Business ombudsman Boris Titov said the move is an economic stupidity.

Yarovaya said earlier in July that the government would determine details of the bills, including periods and volumes of data storage.

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