What did International Organizations Promise?
The Tax Code will be discussed at RA NA session scheduled next week. Prior to this the private sector was so discontent from the discussions, that it even demands to call the Code back. However, RA Government hurries to approve that document, which as business representatives claim, tends to fill the state budget and obstacle the development of economy. RA Government doesn’t even consider the issue of calling it back. The proven method is being applied—adopt by the first hearing, then to discuss and amend it until the second one.
According to the circulating news the claim for adoption of the Code was put forward by international organizations—the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Upon information under the disposal of 168.am, these organizations promised the Government to allocate USD 60 million loan if the claim is fulfilled.
Vakhtang Mirumyan, RA SRC deputy chairman, however, denied that such a claim or promise has been recoded, “Generally, from the standpoint of budgetary debates fiscal sustainability is important, that is how that stability is being provided. It’s important that reforms were implemented, in particular, if there are internal resources, within which one may provide fiscal sustainability, only international organization doesn’t oblige and say exactly this direction should be taken. It may advise, offer, that they see resources, and we should decide whether we’ll accept that resource or not.”
The deputy chairman assured that overwhelming majority of offers by the public sector was approved. In response to discontent, that offers were approved, however, Mirumyan didn’t approve that the National Assembly sent the draft bill upon its initial variant. In his words, agreement was reached around 4 issues.
To the question, on account of the fact that there is much discontent among RPA members, whether it’s possible that the Tax Code wasn’t adopted and what the Government would do in that case, V.Mirumyan replied, “We’ll discuss, work day and night with RPA members, with interested parties will be launched to console, or try to understand whether we are wrong, or we don’t imagine what we’ve done. Anyway, we consider, that fears we have today among our partners, or opinion was heard, that it’s a result of opinion from the side, or maybe it’s a viewpoint what may occur. As a result of discussion, when issues are raised one by one, you’ll be convinced, whether it’s a bad or a good one, or none of them.”
By Gayane Khachatryan
