Tax evasion was estimated at around 40% in 2020, and when tax system reform efforts began, figures presented ranged between 50% and 60%, according to tax expert Mohamed Saleh Ayari.
Speaking on Midi Express, Ayari explained that based on current data, the tax evasion rate is estimated at 50%, which is alarmingly high, and that significant efforts are needed to minimize this phenomenon.
He emphasized the need to strengthen the tax administration with more financial and human resources.
Currently, there are only 2,300 tax control agents, representing just 2.5% of what is needed. The workforce should be doubled to reach at least 4,500 to 5,000 agents.
Ayari noted that tax amnesties put significant pressure on tax officials and that some complain about the lack of services offered to citizens in return.
He pointed out that in Scandinavian countries, the tax rate for contributors is about 49%, but the state, in turn, provides high-quality public services.
“The services provided to taxpayers must be improved, and at the same time, the tax administration must be effectively and urgently reinforced and digitized,” he concluded.
