ArmInfo. The excise tax rates for alcohol, cigarettes, petroleum and pressurized gas will be increased in Armenia. The Armenian National Assembly adopted the relevant amendments to the Law "On Excise Tax" on October 29.
Armenian Deputy Finance Minister Vakhtang Mirumyan said that the excise tax rates are changing to be harmonized with the rates of the Eurasian Economic Union. He stressed that the excise tax rates in
Armenia are four times as low as in the EEU countries.
The excise tax rate for alcohol drinks (except brandy and wine) will rise from the minimum 500 to 550 AMD per liter, and the interest rate will grow from 50% to 55%. The rate for 1 thsd cigars is expected to
rise from 550 to 605 thsd AMD; the rate for 1 thsd cigarettes will grow from 5 thsd to 5.5 thsd AMD; the rate for non-filter cigarettes will rise from 1,400 to 1,540 AMD. The minimum excise tax for diesel
fuel is expected to rise from 32.5 thsd to 35 thsd AMD per ton, but the interest rate will remain unchanged - 10%. The excise tax for pressurized gas for vehicles will be fixed at 8,330 AMD per 1 thsd cu m.
The deputy minister stressed that in 2014 the republic imported 122 thsd tons of petroleum and 480 mln cu m of pressurized gas, which reduced the prices on the domestic market. Mirumyan thinks the new excuse rate will not resulted in tangible growth of prices, because the prime cost will rise but it will slightly affect the margin. According to the forecasts, the gas price will grow by 1.7%, vodka - by 2.1%, cigarettes - by 1.1%, petroleum - by 1.6%, diesel fuel - by 0.6%. In the meantime, the state budget is expected to be replenished by 9 bln AMD.