At the joint press conference of PMs of Armenia Karen Karapetyan and of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan, launched in Artsakh, as anticipated, the issue of gas tariff review was touched upon again. Reporters asked again: how “Gazprom-Armenia” operating with a loss, reduces the tariff and won’t we withdraw any property to this company in the future?
“There are 4 sources. One of them is reduction of gas transit price from Russia to Armenia. That transit agreement terminates on January 1, 2017. At the moment negotiations with the Georgian side on reduction of transit tariffs are ongoing. All the money, saved on account of that reduction, will be directed towards solving that issue,” Nazaryan said.
According to initial calculations, in terms of VAT and profit tax – without penalties and fines – the company’s obligations amounted 251.065.000 AMD, Samvel Sinanyan, a SRC official said.
“It’s been one month since I’m no longer a businessman. I’ve been a representative of the business for 25 years, that is large business, and I know very well the problems and issues which must be solved for entrepreneurships, in order for the field to open up. Therefore, we will take steps, you will see. I will struggle against the shadow economy, I will struggle, you will see,” Vardan Harutyunyan said.
At today’s joint meeting of NA Standing Committees on Economic Affairs, Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs during the debates of 2017 Deputy Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan stated that existence of tariff, structural changes, actual indices of performance in the previous period influenced on the budget.
This year RA Control Chamber carried out inspection at RA Ministry of Education and Science, “National Institute of Education” CJSC and National Information Centre on Academic Recognition and Mobility (ENIC).
“The point, that the Government attempts to bring much money to the country, is correct. However, there is the reverse of the coin as well.”
Armenia will receive 9.1 billion AMD official grant from the European Union in 2017, First Deputy Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan said during the parliamentary debates of the 2017 state budget.
Gagik Melkonyan, Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Investments, informed that trade regime was provided to Armenia in an updated form, for 10 years since 2014. According to him, the EU regularly touches upon its assessment and implementation of the country’s liabilities, internal decisions are being made based on them to move forward its natural development or implementation of changes. According to the Deputy Minister Armenia has submitted a report twice, and the last one was on September 15.
In short, “Gazprom Armenia” and its owner go against their interests to do something good for the Armenia population. It’s a bit difficult to believe in this. Especially, when “Gazprom Armenia” is a company functioning with a loss: 2015 was terminated with AMD 10.7 billion loss.
