"30-50 percent shady economy"
"Based on different assessments, there is 30-50 percent shady economy in Armenia," ARF faction member Artsvik Minasyan declared during a press conference today.
Economist Bagrat Asatryan explained how the government keeps the income from shady economy untouchable.
"In 2008, the government planned that the GDP for 2012 would be 5,570,000,000 drams, but according to the budget, the number for next year is 4,275,000,000 drams, meaning 25 percent less," the former head of the RA Central Bank said.
MP Vardan Ayvazyan recalled that the government had resisted a crisis and asked whether the 15 percent fall had been a result of the resistance. What else could the government have done? In response, Ayvazyan recalled the tax package that he was content with. Bagrat Asatryan also agreed and said the government could collect the additional 101 billion drams.
"The billions will be for ensuring the inflation, the expected economic growth and the tax entries," Bagrat Asatryan explained.
The economist is also concerned about the fact that taxpayers don't know what new taxes they will be paying after the year ends.
Bagrat Asatryan says the National Assembly shouldn't let the changes being made in the package enter into force starting next year.
MP Vardan Ayvazyan didn't respond, but the package will be adopted during the upcoming plenary session and will enter into force next year.
