During 2006 the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan is planning to pay 866mln manat of various taxes to the budget, up 59.2% over year. Trend reports quoting SOCAR vice-president Shahin Mustafayev that 352.8mln manat have been already transferred in first half-year 2006.
Last year the assignments amounted to 544mln mnaat, in 2004 384.4mln manat, in 2003 370.6mln manat and in 2002 332mln manat. In 2001 SOCAR transferred 267.3mln manat to the budget, while its debt as of January 1, 2001 amounted to 695.8mln manat.
Mustafayev said the situation with budgetary assignments improved, which is confirmed with information as of July 1, 2006 on the amount of SOCAR-used subsidies the state budget envisages for the energy sector. The amount was 278mln manat (to be increased to 438.5mln manat by the end of 2006), exceeding the amount of SOCAR debts to state budget (242mln manat).