The Azerbaijani government is changing the excise regime for tobacco products as of 1 January 2006, reports Interfax news agency.

The current excise tax rate is fixed at AZM 9,000 (Euro 16) per 1,000 cigarettes regardless of their price, Akif Musaev, spokesman for the taxation ministry, said at a press conference in Baku. As of 1 January 2006, the entire regime is to be changed, excise tax to be levied depending on the cigarette wholesale price. For the year 2006, a 12.5 per cent rate will be applied to tobacco products, Musaev elaborated. (vt)