Kazakhstan lost 730 bln tenge in tax revenue, audit finds
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Kazakhstan's Supreme Audit Chamber revealed that the state budget missed 730 billion tenge in tax revenue in 2025, or 4.8% of the plan. The shortfall stemmed from over-optimistic forecasting by 1.3 trillion tenge and systemic weaknesses in tax and customs control.
Tax Collection Gaps
The audit found that over half of disputed tax assessments in the last four years were resolved in favor of taxpayers due to procedural errors and violations of tax law. The Supreme Audit Chamber recommended tighter quality control over tax inspections.
Customs Violations
Customs auditors uncovered illegal use of electric vehicle import benefits for hybrid cars, resulting in 70 million tenge in unpaid duties. Additionally, 34 foreign trade participants improperly used the offset method for VAT on imports, causing a shortfall of over 670 million tenge.
Systemic Weaknesses
The audit identified 33 procedural violations and 11 systemic deficiencies, including inadequate oversight of authorized economic operators and underutilization of mandatory shoe labeling to boost tax revenues. The State Revenue Committee was urged to improve monitoring of public services.
What's Next
The Supreme Audit Chamber has issued binding instructions to audited entities to address the identified violations. It remains unclear whether the government will revise its tax forecasting methodology or introduce legislative changes to prevent future shortfalls.
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Kazakhstan lost 730 bln tenge in tax revenue, audit finds
