ArmInfo.The 5-year program of action presented by the government, providing comprehensive solutions to problems in various fields, contains valuable observations on the principles of efficient governance, states the need for an uncompromising fight against corruption, building an export-oriented competitive economy, creating a favorable investment environment, transforming information and high technologies in the locomotive of the economy and the military industrial complex, etc.
This is stated in the official report of the Armenian National Congress (ANC).
ANC presented addenda to the government program, focusing on changing the socio-political system. In particular, the document stated that a constitutional referendum will be held during the year to restore the semi-presidential form of government, after which the presidential elections will be held next year. The change of the RA Electoral Code is supposed to be at the root.
According to the drafters, there is also a need to adopt a new law on combating corruption, and to introduce a new concept of solving the issue of party financing - to move from state to public funding in the experience of Hungary and Germany.
"It is necessary to thoroughly review the regulatory field of the formation and activities of trade unions, to create conditions for their real development," the source said. In order to obtain a competitive and free economy, which implies, in particular, the eradication of corruption, the ANC proposes to revise the income declaration system of high-ranking officials and other civil servants, to exclude the formation of off-balance means in state bodies, to clearly separate power and big business.
At the same time, the drafters talk about the need to eliminate artificial monopolies, guarantee equal conditions for all economic entities, adopt a new antimonopoly policy, in particular, providing for the expansion of powers and functions of the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition.
According to the source, the market share of any company with the exception of real monopolies should be set at 33.3%. At the same time, credits to the state budget from the monopolies' revenues should not be 2%, but 10% and higher.
The ANC also sees the need for a clear separation of two different types of trade - wholesale and retail. In this regard, it is proposed to strictly streamline the activities of supermarkets, and to ensure the life of small stores in large cities, regularly hold mobile food fairs, with a low level of mandatory payments and taxation. According to the compilers, it is necessary to remove the public procurement system from the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, to develop anti-dumping legislation.
Regarding the tax system, the ANC document states that the tax regime should be stable every three years, which excludes an increase in the amount of tax payments or any legislative changes during this period. In addition, it is proposed to significantly simplify the tax and customs system, the amount of taxes from 15 to bring to 6 (tax on profits, income tax, excise tax, VAT, local tax and customs duties), the turnover tax to apply as a replaceable tax. However, gradually reduce the VAT (up to 15%). In this vein, according to the drafters of the recommendations, there is a need to exempt the service sector from paying VAT, setting a different taxation procedure for this sector. The minimum tariff is proposed for customs reference prices.
Stimulation of investments ANC sees in the release of companies that have invested from $ 1 to $ 5 million from the payment of income tax for 2 years, and for 5 years for investors who have made investments of $ 5 million and above. In addition, it was proposed to exempt investors from profit tax for another 2 years, as well as innovative business, with the condition that these amounts be paid to the state budget over the next 5 years.
In all agricultural regions, it was proposed to form agro-stations to service agriculture (including the machine-transport park), with a 20% state stake, with the goal of selling the state stake in the future and creating rural cooperatives.
In addition, the ANC sees the need to create a state-owned Bank for Foreign Trade and Investment, as well as the Ministry of Export Development, whose main task will be to analyze global development trends, market research for local products, advise, and develop export-oriented legislation.
According to the drafters of the document, tourism should be considered as a strategic direction of the country's development. With the use of tax instruments, it was proposed to reduce the cost of servicing Zvartnots airport, in order to significantly reduce the cost of air travel.
You can get acquainted with the proposals of National Press to solve problems in various sectors of Armenia in more detail by clicking on www.anc.am.