The government is coming under pressure to pay back the money raised by the recently introduced import and export taxes, originally levied by Presidential decree in order to fund the payments to the power distributors. Lisandro Macarrulla, president of the Dominican Association of Industries (AIRD), has said that the Supreme Court’s pronouncement of the illegality of the controversial 5% export tax and the 10% surcharge on imports means that the government should now be obliged to refund all payments made to date.
Economist Pedro Silverio has echoed this sentiment, saying the refunds should include the amounts remitted plus interest accrued, with immediate effect, and that the business sector could also demand compensation for any harm caused by the additional expense. FINJUS (Foundation for Institutionality and Justice) president Alfredo Rizek said that if the money was not refunded, the business community would have to take legal steps against the government.
El Caribe reports the Customs Department has not received notification that the surcharge has been revoked.