Ukraine proposes raising excise taxes on cigarettes by 31% starting Jan. 1

Ukraine proposes raising excise taxes on cigarettes by 31% starting Jan. 1, three months before the presidential election. With almost one quarter of Ukrainian adults smoking, the bill may encounter opposition. The tax hike would raise the final price of a pack of cigarettes by 19% to about $1.28. Under EU integration obligations, Ukraine is to nearly quadruple cigarette excise taxes by 2025.