Vice Speaker Alen Simonyan personally steps in to negotiate with protesting entrepreneurs, vows solutions
4 minute read
YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. Vice Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan personally visited protesting entrepreneurs outside the government headquarters in Yerevan to negotiate and resolve the situation.
A soft-drink producer businessman talked with Simonyan about their complaints regarding the amendments to the tax code whereby soft drinks will be taxed under the excise tax. The businessman pointed out the finance ministry’s justification that claimed consumption of carbonated soft drinks is harmful. He said the businessmen don’t understand how the finance ministry has decided that this is the case.
A businessman from Hay Cola, a producer of carbonated soft drink, said the tax code amendments will make their products expensive which will subsequently lead to low consumption, and in this case they will be unable to pay VAT, revenues will fall and they won’t have profit. He said they fear bankruptcy.
Simonyan noted that the bill hasn’t yet been forwarded to parliament, but nevertheless he vowed to discuss the matter with Cabinet members. “I will discuss this with them, I will present your concerns,” he said.
He even took contact information from the businessman to personally telephone him on the developments.
Simonyan also addressed the concerns of pawnbrokers and currency exchange operators who are protesting against planned amendments that will lead to higher state duties.
The Vice Speaker said he has studied this issue and he admitted that there are problems.
“Today at 14:00 I have a meeting with an expert. I have requested an expert to discuss and understand what can be done,” he said.
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