ArmInfo.The use of a system of criminal prosecution for violations with excisable goods in Armenia will be decriminalized. The parliament of the country of Armenia at the meeting on September 16 in the first reading approved the amendments to the Criminal Code, the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Tax Code.
Presenting the draft amendments, RA Deputy Minister of Economy Naira Margaryan emphasized that at present, in the absence of excise stamps, expired excises or excises that can be reused, various measures are applied, including criminal prosecution. Now it is proposed to exclude the possibility of criminal prosecution, limiting itself only to the application of administrative and tax measures.
With a minimum violation, the amount of penalties will be reduced; with a maximum violation, on the contrary, it will be increased. Currently, as Naira Margaryan noted, when determining the amount of penalties for goods worth not more than 50 thousand drams, an administrative fine of 300 thousand drams and a fine of 500 thousand drams established by the Tax Code are applied. Now it is proposed to establish an administrative fine in the amount of 70 thousand drams while maintaining the previous rates stipulated by the Tax Code. If the cost of the goods exceeds 50 thousand drams, but not more than 200 thousand drams, sanctions are currently applied in the form of an administrative fine in the amount of 1 million drams and the same amount under the Tax Code. Now it is proposed to introduce an administrative fine in the amount of 300 thousand drams and 1.5 million drams through the Tax Code.
Thus, as Naira Margaryan reported, instead of 2 million drams, the violating entities will have to pay 1.8 million drams. With the cost of goods over AMD 200 thousand, penalties will be toughened. Currently, the amount of penalties is 1 million drams under the Code of Administrative Offenses and the same amount through the Tax Code. Now the penalty rates will be 1.2 million and 1.5 million drams, respectively. Thus, fined entities will have to pay 2.7 million drams instead of 2 million drams. The purpose of the legislative package is to decriminalize offenses of low public danger in the field of economic activity.
