Reference Prices/ Professionals write to the Ministry of Finance: They do not rule out money laundering, they will increase the price of apartments

2025-08-20 11:27:13Biznes SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Reference Prices/ Professionals write to the Ministry of Finance: They do not

The Alliance of Free Professionals (APL), in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Finance, raises concerns that the proposed draft decision to determine the reference price for the sale and purchase of apartments in districts does not reflect the reality of the real estate market and risks deforming the market and distorting average apartment prices.

Among the main issues for which concern is raised is the transparency of the reference price methodology and the establishment of a floor value.

In the detailed analysis of the draft decision "On the approval of the methodology, rules and procedures for determining the taxable value of real estate 'buildings', calculating the tax on the building and its payment" freelancers emphasize that in its current form, the draft for determining reference prices does not provide any guarantee that inflated transactions or transactions related to illegal phenomena, such as money laundering, have been filtered out, which could further distort average prices.

APL warns that reference prices do not follow the market trend, therefore such policies will drive the upward trend in apartment sales prices.

"The current legislation on income tax has already established a minimum value below which purchase and sale transactions are not accepted. The draft decision follows the same approach by not reflecting cases of price declines, even when these represent real market trends."

"Such a policy only encourages upward price trends, hindering the natural functioning of supply and demand. As a result, reference prices risk being used more as a fiscal instrument for increasing revenues, rather than as a real market indicator," the APL letter states.
Professionals recommend reviewing the problematic provisions by establishing objective, measurable and verifiable criteria, as well as clear limitations to avoid arbitrariness and distortions in the market.

APL also emphasizes that the use of alternative methods for calculating tax without clear criteria may burden taxpayers due to institutional gaps and non-harmonization.

After the publication for public consultation of the draft decision on the methodology for calculating the building tax, which proposes an increase in reference prices in districts, the Alliance of Free Professionals (APL) has also addressed a previous letter to the Minister of Finance Petrit Malaj, recommending that citizens' first homes be exempted from the building tax. According to them, such a change

FULL LETTER

REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA

MINISTRY OF FINANCE, PRIME MINISTRY, MEDIA

Addressed to: Minister of Finance

Për Dijeni: Zyra e Kryeministrit, Media

Nga: Aleanca e Profesionistëve të Lirë (APL)

Lënda: Objeksione dhe rekomandime mbi Projektvendimin: “Për miratimin e metodologjisë, rregullave dhe procedurave për përcaktimin e vlerës së taksueshme të pasurisë së paluajtshme ‘ndërtesa’, llogaritjen e taksës mbi ndërtesën dhe pagesën e saj”

Të nderuar,

Në kuadër të konsultimit publik mbi projektvendimin në fjalë, paraqiten më poshtë disa vërejtje dhe problematika me karakter ekonomik, juridik dhe administrativ:

Mungesa e transparencës metodologjike dhe vështirësia për të reflektuar realitetin e tregut
Në relacionin shoqërues parashikohet se çmimet e referencës janë përllogaritur mbi bazën e transaksioneve të viteve 2022–2024, duke përjashtuar ato që “nuk kanë logjikë ekonomike” ose që janë nën nivelin e referencës.

Termi “mungesë logjike ekonomike” nuk shoqërohet me ndonjë kriter të qartë, objektiv apo teknik, gjë që krijon pasiguri ligjore dhe rrezik për subjektivitet në përzgjedhjen e të dhënave. Përjashtimi selektiv i transaksioneve që shënojnë çmime më të ulëta nga referenca, pa një argumentim të qartë, priret të krijojë një pasqyrë të njëanshme të tregut dhe të prodhojë një efekt rritës artificial të çmimeve, duke cenuar parimin e neutralitetit fiskal. Nuk jepet asnjë garanci se janë filtruar transaksionet e fryra apo të lidhura me fenomene të paligjshme, si p.sh. pastrimi i parave, çka mund të shtrembërojë më tej çmimet mesatare.

Kufizimi i mekanizmave të tregut përmes vendosjes së vlerës dysheme
Legjislacioni aktual mbi tatimin e të ardhurave ka vendosur tashmë një vlerë minimale nën të cilën transaksionet e shitblerjes nuk pranohen. Projektvendimi ndjek të njëjtën qasje duke mos reflektuar rastet e rënies së çmimeve, edhe kur këto përfaqësojnë prirje reale tregu.

Një politikë e tillë nxit vetëm prirjet rritëse të çmimeve, duke penguar funksionimin natyral të ofertës dhe kërkesës. Si rrjedhojë, çmimet referencë rrezikojnë të përdoren më shumë si instrument fiskal për rritjen e të ardhurave, sesa si tregues real i tregut.

Përdorimi i projekteve të ardhshme si faktor përcaktues çmimi
Projektvendimi parashikon që çmimi të ndikohet nga projekte të ardhshme zhvillimore apo plane strategjike urbane. Kjo qasje mbart rrezik, pasi përdor projeksione ende të pasigurta dhe jo të realizuara për të justifikuar çmime më të larta, ndërkohë që të dhënat reale të tregut përjashtohen si të papërshtatshme. Përdorimi i pritshmërive të pasigurta si faktorë çmim-formues është i pabazuar në logjikën ekonomike dhe mund të çojë në deformim të tregut.

Article 2, point 12(c) – Fiscal recognition of possessors without legal documentation
The provision that considers as “user” also an individual who holds in possession a unit without a construction permit or ownership document, without applying for legalization, creates a questionable precedent. This constitutes a form of fiscal recognition of an illegal situation, risking being perceived as an indirect incentive for informal construction. Such a provision weakens efforts to reduce informality in the construction sector and creates a perception of legitimizing the fait accompli.

Article 4 – Hierarchy of data sources and legal consequences
Priority is given to data verified by the municipality on the ground when these result in a larger area than the area registered in the ASA. This approach may also include informal constructions or illegal extensions, which are thus treated as facts committed for fiscal purposes. The lack of clear limitations on the implementation of this provision creates legal uncertainty and paves the way for administrative arbitrariness.

Article 5 – Classification of construction units
The provisions of Article 5 allow the fiscal classification of construction units independently of the intended use as defined in the legal documents (construction permit, use certificate, ownership certificate, etc.). This regulation risks relativizing the legal acts of planning and development of the territory, creating inconsistencies between the legal documentation and the fiscal treatment. This contradicts the principle of legality and creates a double standard between entities that respect the legislation and those that operate informally.

Article 16 – Alternative assessment of tax liability
The draft decision provides for the use of alternative methods for determining the taxable value in the absence of official data. This provision risks transferring the burden of the consequences of the lack of administration or institutional coordination onto the taxpayer, even when he has not acted contrary to the law.

The use of the alternative method should be limited to identified cases of intentional tax avoidance, not as a general mechanism to cover administrative loopholes. Otherwise, this would be contrary to the principle of good faith, tax equality and legal certainty.

 cONcluSiON

The draft decision, in its current form, presents some uncertainties and controversial situations for the functioning of the real estate market, for legal certainty and for the principle of tax equality. It is recommended to review the problematic provisions by establishing objective, measurable and verifiable criteria, as well as clear limitations to avoid arbitrariness and distortions in the market.

Alliance of Free Professionals – APL

Taken from monitor.al


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