ArmInfo. Electric cars imported to Armenia will be exempted from VAT payments. The draft amendment to the RA Tax Code was approved at a government meeting on January 17.
Introducing the draft law, Deputy Minister of Nature Protection of the Republic of Armenia Irina Kaplanyan noted that the document provides for the establishment of a benefit before January 1, 2022. By this date, it is expected that the necessary infrastructure will be formed, which will significantly reduce emissions of harmful substances into the environment, improve the quality of life and allow you to keep up with the times. According to the deputy minister, before October 1, 2018, 28 electric cars were imported to Armenia, after this period - another 22 cars. For comparison: over 300 electric cars were imported in Georgia during the same period of time. The leaders on this indicator are Norway and Iceland.
In turn, Acting Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia Garegin Baghramyan reported on the signing of an agreement with the EU on attracting a grant for the construction of electric filling stations in Armenia. The head of department also stressed that the adoption of the document would also provide an opportunity to somewhat increase the volume of electricity produced in the country.
However, Acting Minister of Finance of RA Atom Janjughazyan, expressed his concern with the submitted document. He recalled that within the framework of previously granted benefits, the state budget of the country may be short of 440 billion drams. Another privilege, continued Janjughazyan, should not become an end in itself. In this matter, as the chief financier noted, it is important to determine the criteria.
The chairman of the State Revenue Committee David Ananyan agreed with the arguments of the Acting Minister of Finance, Ananyan noted that the current year would be risky in terms of tax collection. He recalled that the country intends to reduce the rates of direct taxes, and vice versa, to increase the rates of indirect taxes. In connection with the proposed draft law, David Ananyan proposed to postpone its use for one year in order to assess all risks and conduct additional discussions. He recalled that according to the EAEU customs code, the rates of customs duties on cars imported into the countries of the Union are 15% against 10% applied in Armenia. As a result, Kazakhstani entrepreneurs began to actively buy cars in Armenia. According to the head of the SRC, the application of the new initiative will improve the environmental situation in Kazakhstan, and Armenia will not receive anything in the end.
In response, the Deputy Minister of Nature Protection Irina Kaplanyan reminded that Kazakhstan has its own enterprise for the production of electric cars, and local businessmen do not need to buy it in Armenia.
Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan agreed with these arguments, who does not see anything wrong with the activation of Kazakhstani business in Armenia. "In the end, they stay in hotels in the country, where they spend money, buy food, use the legal assistance of local structures,> Nikol Pashinyan said