KOCHARIAN URGES CUSTOMS AND TAXATION OFFICIALS TO WORK HARD

Armenpress
Jan 10 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 10, ARMENPRESS: President Robert Kocharian summoned
today the country’s prime minister, government ministers, chiefs of
police and national security service, heads of customs and taxation
services and other senior officials to discuss customs and tax-related
issues.

Kocharian was quoted by his press office as saying that the goal of
the meeting was to remind that in order to meet all projected budget
targets of 2007 all these agencies have to work hard.

Kocharian said he wanted to learn whether they were prepared to meet
these goals through improvement of tax and customs administration
and tough work.

Kocharian said also his instructions would be based on findings
of his oversight chamber, saying its studies revealed a series
of shortcomings, but also ways of how revenue collection could be
improved.

"I mentioned during a recent meeting with businessmen that our figures
improve year after year but when we compare them with other countries
of Eastern Europe, Ukraine or Russia we see that Armenian agencies
work poorly. This year we shall be assessing your work based on this
comparison,’ he said.

Kocharian also spoke about upcoming parliamentary elections warning
heads of customs committee and taxation service to stay away from
elections as they are not political figures and have nothing to do
with polls.

"Your main task is to secure revenues collection.

You have to work much better this year and we shall be more exigent
and election moods must not have any impact on your job," he said.

Kocharian said he did not see sufficient zeal inside customs and
taxation services to crackdown on shadow economy, though, he said,
there was progress, but not enough. The president also said reforms
in these agencies must continue.

"The government has shouldered this year a big burden in terms of
resolving a number of social problems and we have to work very hard
to meet our targets, he said.