ARMENIAN CITIZENS CONSUME OVER 5 BILLION PIECES OF CIGARETTES A YEAR

ARKA
March 23, 2010

YEREVAN, March 23, /ARKA/. Armenian citizens consume from 5 to 5.3
billion pieces of cigarettes a year, Aharon Tadevosian, an official
of Philip Morris International (PMI) in Armenia in charge of corporate
ties, told ARKA.

He said a study made in the capital Yerevan has revealed that Philip
Morris International holds a 18.3% share in the capital city. In his
words, the numbers for the regions are a little lower. Cigarettes
are imported from the company’s plants in Russia and Ukraine by Vidis
Distrbution that brought last year 920 million pieces of cigarettes
to Armenia paying about 6 billion Drams or some $16 million in excise
taxes-25% of all excise taxes collected form cigarette importers.

Aharon Tadevosian said Philip Morris International representation
in Armenia paid last year a total of $4 million in taxes. Phillip
Morris International has been in Armenia since 1995 through Philip
Morris Management Services BV that celebrates now the 15-h anniversary
of its inception here. It imports to Armenia Marlboro, Parliament,
Virginia Slims, Chesterfield, L&M, Assos, Bond Street, Red&White,
Next, Muratti cigarettes.