ARMENIA’S ONLY EXPORTER LEAVES "GOLDEN TEN"
news.am
April 28 2010
Armenia
This January-March, the 1,000 largest Armenian taxpayers paid a total
of 97.5bn AMD to the RA state budget – a 31.4% increase as compared
with the corresponding period last year.
The ten leaders that paid a total of 26.5bn AMD ensured 27.2% of
the taxes paid by the 1,000 largest taxpayers. The fact, which is to
the credit of the ten leaders, is, on the other hand, indicative of
unequal incomes and high market concentration.
The Zangezur copper and molybdenum combine used to top the list of
Armenia’s largest taxpayers before the crisis. At present, however,
the enterprise ranks 11th with its 1.2bn AMD paid to the state budget.
Thus, the "golden ten" has been "bereaved" of its only exporter. In
2006, the Zangezur copper and molybdenum combine paid a record sum
to the RA state budget, 32.8bn AMD. That is, the company paid more
in 2006 than all the ten enterprises paid in the 1st quarter of 2010.
Natural monopolists continue undisputed market leaders in terms of both
incomes and tax payments to the state budget. The ArmRusgasprom CJSC,
which presently tops the taxpayers’ list, paid a total of 5.2bn AMD,
and the Electric Network of Armenia CJSC, its main competitor on the
energy market, more than 1.8bn AMD.
As regards mobile operators, the "market veterans", ArmenTel and
K-Telecom, have been joined by Orange Armenia, which ranked 8th with
its 1.7bn AMD. All the companies are shared in by foreign capital.
Ad regards the Armenian industry, it is represented by the
International Masis Tabak tobacco company, which ranks 9th (1.4bn
AMD). Thus, the natural monopolists, leading telecommunication
companies and importers of food and fuel continue market leaders.
The Vidis Distribution, which imports Philip Morris International
cigarettes to Armenia, ranks 10th in the list of Armenia’s 1,000
largest taxpayers – it replaced the well-known Armenian company
Pares Armenia.