PRIORITY TASK OF TAX AND CUSTOMS BODIES IS UNCOMPROMISING STRUGGLE AGAINST SHADOW ECONOMY, ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 23 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. During the April 23 working
consultation conducted by the Armenian president Robert Kocharian, the
results of the first quarter from the viewpoint of the state budget’s
execution and the work to be done were discussed. According to the
RA President’s press service, the RA prime minister, the minister of
finance and economy, heads of the national statistical service, the
state tax service and the state customs committee, other high-ranking
officials participated in the consultation.

R. Kocharian said that results of the first quarter show that the
indices of economic growth were higher than programmed by the state
budget. In his words, this is a positive phenomenon which has been
continuing for 7 years.

"This year is a pre-electoral one, and I see a positive tendence
that the economy and business show no concern over the pre-electoral
process and are confident that our policy of business developing will
not change, and their confidence is probably considerable. Today we
should be able to make correct decisions and set correct tasks to
tax and customs services," he noted.

The president said that he is content with the work and indices of the
first quarter, as they were fully implemented. However, according to
R. Kocharian, higher rates of economic growth allow to receive more
revenues, which will in its turn enable to pay greater attention to
social problems.

Presenting the results of the first quarter, the RA Minister of Finance
and Economy Vardan Khachatrian noted that a 11% economic growth was
registered in the 1st quarter instead of 9% growth envisaged by the
state budget, as a result of which the necessity has arisen to review
the programs.

Heads of tax and customs bodies addressed their problems and the work
to be carried out.

R. Kocharian said that there are still serious reserves and steps in
this direction should be taken. The priority task of tax and customs
bodies is an uncompronising struggle against shadow economy, and this
struggle will be efficient only if it is fair, related to everybody
and secures equal conditions for all economic entities.

Summarizing the meeting results, the Armenian president stated
that the tax and customs bodies should implement consistent work,
underlining that their tasks and activities will remain in the center
of his attention.