Random entrepreneurs stage minor tax-related demonstrations outside government HQ

YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. A small number of random entrepreneurs from various fields are protesting outside the Government headquarters in downtown Yerevan.

Businessmen engaged in soft drink production are demonstrating against a planned amendment in the tax code whereby the beverages produced in Armenia will be taxed under the excise system.

They claim this will lead to lowered demand of their products and that factories will be shut down.

Also among the protesters were entrepreneurs operating pawnshops and currency exchange offices.

Pawnbrokers and currency exchange operators are protesting against planned changes in the law on state duty that envisages raising the pawnshop duty 60 times. The current state duty is 100,000 drams, and the changes will make it 6,000,000. The currency exchange operators are protesting against a similar tax change.

They are demanding a revision of the planned changes and involvement in discussions.

The demonstrators are also demanding audience with Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan