ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SETS UP INTERAGENCY COMMISSION TO FIGHT AGAINST "BLACK" ECONOMY

ARKA
September 18 2007

Under the instruction of the Armenian President Robert Kocharian
an interagency commission was set up headed by the Chief of Nation
al Taxation Service of Armenia Vahram Barseghian. The aim of the
commission is to increase the level of tax collection through making
the "shadow" turnover of imports and sales liable to taxes.

Among the members of the commission are representatives of the
presidential administration, State Customs Committee, the Police,
Service of National Security and the Office of Prosecutor General,
the Press Service of Armenian president reported.

The necessity to set up such a commission was established during
the recent consultations on strengthening the taxation policies,
the President said. He also pointed out that the percentage of tax
revenue in GDP should be brought up to the level existing in civilized
countries, the Press Service of the President reported.

According to the President, through its activities the commission
should seriously notify that "there are no inviolable persons and
spheres, nobody can serve a roof for somebody and one should work
only within the legal framework".

According to the President, some of the existing phenomena would be
impossible without patronage by the government agencies.

"People who engage in protectionism must be detected and punished to
the full extent of the law," the President said.