ArmInfo. The Inspection Body for the Protection of Nature and Subsoil will receive additional powers to suspension of activities of business entities. The country's parliament at a meeting on September 15 in the first reading discusses amendments to the law "On environmental control" and in a package of related laws.
According to the head of the office for coordinating the activities of the inspection bodies of the RA Prime Minister's Office Artur Asoyan, the need for the package is due to the situation related to the spread of COVID-19.
Current regulations do not allow the authority on the spot to suspend the activities of economic entities that carry risks to the health of citizens, environmental protection. Now, the new regulation will provide the body with such opportunities, but to a limited extent. In total, the package established 10 cases, in the presence of which the body will receive the right to suspend the activities of economic entities.
When subjects go to court, the decision of the inspection body will be valid until the court verdict. Artur Asoyan informed that currently work is underway to introduce a modern system that cannot be bypassed. In each case, 2 working days are allotted to monitor the situation, after which, upon receipt of the results of the examination, an appropriate decision is made to suspend the activities of the business entity.
In some cases, instead of suspension of activities, the mechanism of administrative influence will be applied. In addition, there may be cases in which certain types of activities of a business entity are subject to suspension. Artur Asoyan also said that as of today, the inspection bodies of Armenia have carried out 81 thousand checks, the activities of over 5 thousand business entities were suspended.
Currently, under conditions of quarantine, the suspension of activities is not carried out, only administrative measures are taken. In the first case, the subject is warned, in the second, a fine is applied in the amount of 100 times the minimum wage, if the violation is repeated - 100 - 300 times the minimum wage. If a given subject of an offense is identified, the amount of fines increases to 150-350 times the minimum wage during the year.
