MOSCOW, July 31. /TASS/. As many as 130,000 people received the status of self-employed in Moscow in the first half of 2020, whereas since the beginning of the year their number rose by 70% to 324,000 people, according to a statement released on Mayor’s website on Friday.

"In first six months 130,000 people received the status of self-employed in Moscow, while the total number of those paying the earned income tax soared by 70% since the beginning of the year to 324,000 people. We register growth of that tax payments to the budget as in the first half of 2020 they totaled 663 mln rubles ($8.9 mln), up by 34% in full 2019," Deputy Mayor Vladimir Yefimov was quoted as saying.

Moscow is one of four Russian regions, in which the tax on earned income was introduced in 2019 as a pilot project. The new tax regime has proved efficient and was extended to the remaining regions starting July 1, 2020.