YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Opposition MP Mikayel Melkumyan from Prosperous Armenia (BHK) party has presented a bill to parliament today proposing to grant extra time to importers for VAT payments for a group of food products imported from non-EEU countries.

“A system is introduced since 1997 whereby VAT is charged at the border. The VAT for products imported from EEU countries is charged on the 20th day of the next month. I have attempted to comply a group of products imported from third countries to this procedure in order for them to be charged also on the 20th of the next month,” he said.

Melkumyan said he has chosen the type of products which won’t have significant impact on the budget, i.e. products which are rapidly sold.

Deputy Finance Minister Arman Poghosyan, however, noted that the government continues having principled disagreement with the bill. He said that the proposal is to charge the import VAT not at the moment of import but until the 20^th of the next month for products such as frozen meat, dairy and alcohol. He said that in case of the above-mentioned products today the agricultural productions isn’t competitive, among other reasons.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan