Yerevan Council of Elders raises local duties
Members of the Yerevan City Council of Elders from the Prosperous Armenia Party and Luys bloc voted today against a decision that increases a string of local duties from 2019.
They argued that the decision would not only cause a serious blow to small and medium-sized businesses, but also prompt price hikes. However, the decision was backed by My Step bloc that holds the majority of seats in the capital’s legislative assembly.
According to the decision, the local duty on the construction of buildings and structures will increase by 40% - by 6,000 drams for structures up to 20 square meters and by 10,000 drams for structures 20 and more square meters. In 2018, these duties were respectively 15 thousand and 25 thousand drams.
Local duty on the sale of liquid fuels, compressed natural or liquefied petroleum gas will increase by 250 thousand drams to 600 thousand drams (an increase of 71.43%).
Local duties for administrative, commercial, public facilities, entertainment and gambling, as well as casinos, bathhouses and saunas operating after midnight will also rise. In particular, duties on commercial facilities will grow by 37% or 32.5 thousand drams, on catering and entertainment facilities - by 75 thousand drams or 48%, and on baths and saunas - by 525 thousand drams or 60%.
Yerevan mayor Hayk Marutyan said the changes in fact are minor and will not be felt as a whole. He promised that on January 15, an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Elders is likely to set a set of benefits for small and medium businesses. --0--