ArmInfo. The issue of new state duty rates on brandy produced in Armenia has been returned for revision to the interagency commission. As the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Khachatryan noted at a government meeting on March 19, at present, when organizing the production of brandy, the entities must pay an annual state duty of 10 million drams.
Given the fact that it takes at least three years to obtain brandy and brandy alcohols, entities must pay 30 million drams, which for many is an overwhelming burden. In this regard, it is proposed to establish a symbolic state fee in the amount of 50 thousand drams for each year, and from the moment of sales return to the current rate of 10 million drams per year. Another change proposes to equate the state duty rates applied to fruit alcoholic beverages to mead, by setting a single rate of 50 thousand drams per year. When organizing the same year, the subject, along with the production of brandy and also vodka, the authorized body is only notified about this. The Minister noted that the use of new rates will provide an opportunity to develop the brandy sector, and the funds saved by the entities will be spent on the purchase of modern equipment.
In response, head of the RA State Revenue Committee David Ananyan noted that, in fact, we are talking about another tax benefit. According to the head of the State Revenue Committee, the entities paying 10 million drams will be more serious in organizing production, while paying a symbolic amount, corruption risks may also appear. According to David Ananyan, it will be difficult to control the process from the organization of production to the start of sales, especially from the point of view of the origin of grape raw materials.
Tigran Khachatryan did not agree with this. He recalled that the sale of brandy products should be carried out exclusively in the presence of excise stamps issued by the State Revenue Committee. Itmust control the process before issuing excise stamps.
It should be noted that the issue turned into a debate in which the heads of various departments turned out to be involved, which sent PM Nikol Pashinyan over the edge. "For half an hour we are discussing the issue, which should be adopted within 10 minutes. What then are the members of the government doing at the meetings of the interdepartmental commission? Take away the draft, discuss it from beginning to end and bring the document agreed with all parties," Nikol Pashinyan said.
