Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan told journalists before the 15th congress of RPA that a businessman-deputy from the Republican Party of Armenia, Samvel Alekdanyan, promised him from now on to work in the tax field,
He also added that during the meeting with Armenian businessmen, Aleksanyan said that he is ready to work without a hitch and join the tax field only in case if all the businessmen do the same. "I don't care what was before that, I am interested in what will be in future, that is to say, all the businessmen should work in the tax field", - the premier said.
Deputy of the National Assembly Nikol Pashinyan said in the parliament on 16 May that according to the official data, in Q1 2014, Armenia, i.e. the Akhuryan Sugar Plant owned by Samvel Alexanyan, MP from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, produced 0 kg of sugar. Instead, 30 thsd of raw sugar was imported to Armenia. "This means that the businessman-parliamentarian Alexanyan and his plant have made a deal with the Government and import sugar to Armenia under the guise of raw sugar, because a 10% customs duty is imposed on sugar and 0% on raw sugar. What has happened? It has turned out that with a subtle motion of the hand the Government and the oligarchs close to the Government have earned 2.9 mln USD at the expense of the state budget. No one minds Samvel Alexanyan, Serzh Sargsyan and Hovik Abrahamyan's being so subtle to earn millions in this manner. The problem is that they are doing it at the expense of the citizens. We are against such criminal practices against the citizens", said Pashinyan. Pashinyan believes that if the Government strives to combat shadow economy, it must not create shadow economy itself.