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Businessmen In A Dilemma

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  • Businessmen In A Dilemma

    BUSINESSMEN IN A DILEMMA

    Lragir.am
    31 May 06

    On May 31 the parliament rejected the bill on accountability
    of businessmen for tax evasion. It is directly related to those
    businessmen who may go to prison for avoiding to pay six million drams
    of taxes. The bill had been introduced several months ago and underwent
    strictures from the members of parliament. Even the Orinats Yerkir
    Faction, which was in the coalition then, criticized this government
    action. Those who spoke against the bill say imprisonment should
    be replaced by economic punishments, namely a fine. The businessmen
    members of parliament did not stop debates on the bill even after the
    government and the Republican-Dashnaktsutiun coalition had failed
    to have the bill passed on May 31. In fact, a member of parliament
    cannot run a business. However, everyone knows that many members of
    parliament legally quit business posts but, in fact, continue running
    businesses. The bill on accountability for tax evasion can be targeted
    at them, even if they pay taxes. This might be the reason why the
    members of parliament went on discussing the bill in the foyer of
    the parliament even after it had been rejected.

    Member of Parliament Khachatur Sukiasyan, the honorary president
    of Sil Concern, was trying to explain the businessmen members of
    parliament from the Republican faction that it is wrong to punish a
    businessman for tax evasion. Republican Areg Ghukasyan (Salt Mine),
    Ashot Baghdasaryan (Kilikia Beer), Manvel Ghazaryan (Vedi Alco), who
    were listening to him, said Khachatur Sukiasyan was right. But those
    Republican members of parliament, who disapproved the bill, did not
    vote against it. Hence, the problem is political, and they obeyed the
    political decision of their faction. But if the problem is political,
    it must have a political motivation. Such could be the necessity
    to put businessmen under a criminal press in the pre-election year,
    so that the businessmen would not even consider supporting a force
    that the government does not endorse.

    Khachatur Sukiasyan, who thinks it is wrong to threaten a businessman
    with accountability does not think that it has a political purpose.

    "I do not think it has a political context. Well, what will these
    two years do a businessman, or I do not know who, or an employee of
    the businessman? Simply I think there was an unclear approach; they
    might have wanted to solve a problem. I think if the state machine of
    the Republic of Armenia proposes an action, it is very ineffective in
    this sector. I mean if everything is coordinated and planned, even if
    there is computer monitoring and control, there will be no necessity"
    says Khachatur Sukiasyan. He says it is better to study the sphere
    instead of threatening with imprisonment, and reveal the subjects
    who bypass the law. Khachatur Sukiasyan does not even call them
    businessmen because he would feel offended. According to Khachatur
    Sukiasyan, the act of punishing businessmen for tax evasion is a
    tool for facilitating the work of the state machine and increasing
    its influence rather than forcing businessmen to political obedience.
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