The European Union Delegation in Cambodia on Tuesday issued a statement expressing its concern about tax problem relating to The Cambodia Daily newspaper. For this issue, the EU urges the Cambodian government to solve this problem with the appropriate solution.
"We expect the Cambodian authorities to allow the Cambodia Daily and other affected media organisations to resume and continue operations while any tax or other issues are resolved through appropriate due process," read the EU Statement.
According to the EU, the closure of The Cambodia Daily due to tax problem affects the media diversity in the country. And as pluralism is the foundation of pluralist liberal democracy, the lack of this element leads to the question whether the upcoming general election in 2018 will be legitimate or not.
"[...] a credible democratic process leading up to the National Assembly election in July 2018 requires pluralism in the media as well as among political parties," added the statement.
Following the announcement on Sunday, made by The Cambodia Daily newspaper to close its business due to the fact that they are unable to pay the debt of more than $6 million as tax duty to the Cambodian government, Kung Vibol, Director of the General Department of Taxation, in the same day, said that in any case, the newspaper must pay tax, and the person who is in charge of the newspaper won't be allowed to get out of Cambodia.
According to Mr. Vibol, since more than ten years, the Cambodia Daily does not have any intention to pay tax at all. As a result, the newspaper owes more than $6 million to the Cambodian government.
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