THERE ARE MANY SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESSMEN WHILE THERE IS NO BUSINESS
A1 Plus
15-10-2004
“Procedures of Government and lack of information are the main
obstacles in the way of development of small and medium business in
Armenia”, USA Ambassador to Armenia John Evans said at presentation of
“How to Register Your Business?” book in “Yerevan” Hotel.
After the speech Ambassador refused to answer the questions of
journalists. Instead Chrisantos Miliaras, head of “Micro Enterprises
Development Initiative” program said that the new hand-book
independent from corruptibility of Armenian officials will help all
those initiating a small business to save their time.
As to our observation that business initiators spend not only time
while registering the organizations but also pay great sums for
the services rendered by the officials, irrespective of knowing
the procedures well or badly, Mr. Miliaras said: “In any case,
intimate knowledge of law and awareness help people to overcome
many difficulties. I can’t assess how much the officials of Armenia
purposely complicate the procedures for business registration but I
know that they are rather simple in Armenia. The artificial intricacy
exists in many states.”
“How to Register Your Business?” is a quite successful reference
book. The ways of registering an organization, obtaining a seal,
registration in tax and customs instances are described in a simple way
there. According to the organizers, the hand-book will be advertised
in the districts of Armenia. Those wishing to purchase can buy it
in all the branches of “National Centre for Development of Small and
Medium Business Undertakings.”
Presidential Councillor Seyran Avagyan, who is the supporter of forming
a middle stratum and development of small and medium business, was
present for presentation of the book. We asked him about Parliament
standpoint: is there a favourable field for development of small
and medium business in Armenia, so that a businessman has bases for
setting up in business without registering an organization in vain?
“Institutional systems, which create a favourable field for development
of medium business, were formed during 10 recent years”, he said.
And what about 1 recent year? “During 1 recent year important
instruments such as leasing and hypothec became the subjects for
discussion”, Mr. Avagyan answered.