The Tax Service reported on the fight against illegal gas stations and fuel manufacturers.

The State Tax Service, along with law enforcement agencies, is taking appropriate measures and implementing actions to stop illegal fuel production, particularly mini-refineries.

In the first two months of this year, the tax service has conducted 690 inspections of businesses. As a result, 59 licenses were revoked, and financial sanctions amount to 11 million hryvnias, reported the head of the STS, Ruslan Kravchenko, during a meeting with representatives of the Gas Association of Ukraine.

The parties discussed a number of issues necessary for the decentralization of the fuel market.

'Illegal gas stations, illegal production, manipulation with receipts, and cash sales are not only a problem for the state. They also harm legal players in the market who adhere to fair play rules. It is essential to ensure fair competition and equal conditions for all. I am convinced that all market participants must operate within the law, without using fraudulent schemes and evading tax payments. This applies to everyone, regardless of the size of the business,' Kravchenko emphasized.

The STS also systematically checks information about unlicensed retail points for fuel sales. Large networks often raise the issue of reducing fuel prices due to the low prices of smaller market participants. However, it should be noted that their logistics, personnel, and infrastructure costs are significantly lower, allowing them to offer lower prices.

Special oversight is carried out over transactions conducted outside the cash register. This pertains to avoiding transaction registration via RRO, not issuing fiscal checks, and violations in inventory accounting of goods.

'The fuel market must operate transparently. We are firmly taking steps to bring it out of the shadows,' added the head of the STS.