BUSINESSMEN IN A DILEMMA

Lragir.am
31 May 06

On May 31 the parliament rejected the bill on accountability
of businessmen for tax evasion. It is directly related to those
businessmen who may go to prison for avoiding to pay six million drams
of taxes. The bill had been introduced several months ago and underwent
strictures from the members of parliament. Even the Orinats Yerkir
Faction, which was in the coalition then, criticized this government
action. Those who spoke against the bill say imprisonment should
be replaced by economic punishments, namely a fine. The businessmen
members of parliament did not stop debates on the bill even after the
government and the Republican-Dashnaktsutiun coalition had failed
to have the bill passed on May 31. In fact, a member of parliament
cannot run a business. However, everyone knows that many members of
parliament legally quit business posts but, in fact, continue running
businesses. The bill on accountability for tax evasion can be targeted
at them, even if they pay taxes. This might be the reason why the
members of parliament went on discussing the bill in the foyer of
the parliament even after it had been rejected.

Member of Parliament Khachatur Sukiasyan, the honorary president
of Sil Concern, was trying to explain the businessmen members of
parliament from the Republican faction that it is wrong to punish a
businessman for tax evasion. Republican Areg Ghukasyan (Salt Mine),
Ashot Baghdasaryan (Kilikia Beer), Manvel Ghazaryan (Vedi Alco), who
were listening to him, said Khachatur Sukiasyan was right. But those
Republican members of parliament, who disapproved the bill, did not
vote against it. Hence, the problem is political, and they obeyed the
political decision of their faction. But if the problem is political,
it must have a political motivation. Such could be the necessity
to put businessmen under a criminal press in the pre-election year,
so that the businessmen would not even consider supporting a force
that the government does not endorse.

Khachatur Sukiasyan, who thinks it is wrong to threaten a businessman
with accountability does not think that it has a political purpose.

“I do not think it has a political context. Well, what will these
two years do a businessman, or I do not know who, or an employee of
the businessman? Simply I think there was an unclear approach; they
might have wanted to solve a problem. I think if the state machine of
the Republic of Armenia proposes an action, it is very ineffective in
this sector. I mean if everything is coordinated and planned, even if
there is computer monitoring and control, there will be no necessity”
says Khachatur Sukiasyan. He says it is better to study the sphere
instead of threatening with imprisonment, and reveal the subjects
who bypass the law. Khachatur Sukiasyan does not even call them
businessmen because he would feel offended. According to Khachatur
Sukiasyan, the act of punishing businessmen for tax evasion is a
tool for facilitating the work of the state machine and increasing
its influence rather than forcing businessmen to political obedience.