ARMENIAN PREMIER URGES MINISTRIES TO AID TAX AGENCIES

ARKA
June 18, 2009

YEREVAN, June 18. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
urged the ministries and government agencies on Thursday to help the
State Revenue Committee (SCR) to collect taxes.

"We should realize that our primary goal is to help SCR collect taxes.

Unfortunately, our agencies are negligent of this problem," the
premier said.

He cited tax evasion examples, charging ministers and heads of relevant
agencies to submit in three days their proposals on measures helping
SCR collect taxes.

Pointing out major problems with accounting in Armenia’s healthcare
institutions, Sargsyan said the RA Healthcare Ministry is capable to
addressing those challenges.

Touching upon Armenia’s agricultural capacities, he pointed out large
processing enterprises.

According to the prime minister, Armenia has faced a sharp economic
downturn due to a slowdown in the construction sector and investments
from Russia and other countries.

Pointing out an ongoing economic downturn, the premier said the
government had to work more intensively during the summer period.

"We realize that the first nine months of this year are going to
be the most challenging ones, but the country is likely to post an
economic upturn by end-2009," Sargsyan was quoted as saying.

Armenia saw a 9.7% year-on-year economic downturn between January
and April 2009, with GDP amounting to 638,939.3mln drams in current
prices. The year-on-year GDP deflator index reached 101.8% in April
2009.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress