YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. PM Karen Karapetyan has met the representatives of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA) on September 28.

Karapetyan said he expects to hear from the entrepreneurs obstacles for the development of business and concerns and simultaneously proposed to present steps which are expected from the government, which will create favorable conditions for the business environment.

On behalf of the union, UMBA President Arsen Ghazaryan congratulated Karen Karapetyan on assuming the post of PM and wished effective work. He presented several issues which were raised during a discussion with businessmen, aimed at positive changes of the business environment and the current economic situation. In this context Mr. Ghazaryan welcomed the Government’s initiative on making structural changes. In particular, he stressed the importance of renaming the Economy ministry to Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, which will make the ministry’s work more targeted.

In response PM Karapetyan said the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments will be a bridge for the government and entrepreneurs and will support in all matters. “We have raised the following issue – change the principle attitude towards businessmen. We will try by all means to show that we are your partner. We are ready to regularly respond to all raised issues and we will do everything in order for the joint work to be maximally transparent”. In his words, the first and foremost issue of the government is to create an environment where the businessman operating in the “white field” will feel comfortable, and the businessmen operating in the shadow to realize that first and foremost he needs to become a diligent tax payer. During the discussion, the strategy of macroeconomic development was discussed, formation of equal competitive field, Tax Code draft and other issues.