THEY SAY ONE THING IN THE LOBBY AND ANOTHER THING IN THE HALL

Lragir
Dec 20 2007
Armenia

The lump-sum tax which several tens of thousands of small and
medium-sized businesses and were thus in a more favorable mode of
taxation will be eliminated from January 1, 2008. It means from January
1 businesses will pay the VAT and tax on profit. The law was passed
by the new parliament. Member of Parliament Heghine Bisharyan from
the Orinats Yerkir Party, parliament opposition, says it is a blow
at small and medium-sized businesses, which will not be competitive
any more and will yield to the clannish oligarchic system.

The member of parliament spoke about it during the discussion held by
the Forum of Women Leaders the purpose of which was to listen to the
approaches of the presidential candidates through their authorized
representatives. Besides Heghine Bisharyan, Gagik Tadevosyan from
the National Solidarity Party had also been invited to the first
in the series of discussions at the Friday Club on December 20,
who also said that the elimination of the lump-sum tax endangers
small and medium-sized businesses, which will not be competitive
and will be taken over by major businesses. Political forces often
write about supporting small and medium-sized businesses in their
programs but do the opposite thing, stated Gagik Tadevosyan, hinting
at the parliament majority, stating that if their candidate Artashes
Geghamyan wins the election, they will restore the lump-sum tax.

The deputy leader of the Orinats Yerkir Party Heghine Bisharyan also
said that if Arthur Baghdasaryan is elected president, they will
restore the lump-sum tax. Heghine Bisharyan said when the law was
being discussed, they voiced concern about the danger of the bill for
small and medium-sized businesses but in vain because the Republican
and Bargavach Hayastan majority voted for the bill eliminating the
lump-sum tax. Heghine Bisharyan says one of the members of parliament
from the Bargavach Hayastan Party talked to her in the lobby and said
the lump-sum tax should not be eliminated, but returned to the hall
and voted for the bill. "I was amazed," Heghine Bisharyan says.