ArmInfo.Back in 2022, experts advised Babken Tunyan, deputy chair of the parliamentary committee on economic issues, during hearings he organized, not to require annual income declarations from individuals with no income other than that paid by tax agents.
They were ignored, and three years later, just 24 days before the extended deadline for filing annual income declarations, Tunyan is "bringing good news" to the citizens of the Republic of Armenia about "significant simplifications," saying exactly what he was told several years ago. This is according to Eduard Badalyan, vice president of the NGO "Citizen-Taxpayer-Business Human Rights Organization."
"And he didn't even blink. Not a word about how three years ago he voted for these people to file declarations, and now, in essence, he realized he did the wrong thing."
"I wonder if anyone, journalists for example, will, if given the opportunity, ask this man: three years ago, after listening to so many people, when he voted for the law that stated, yes, everyone must file a tax return, didn't he understand what he was advocating for? Or is he simply someone who has the right to vote and the right to initiate [something permitted]?" Badalyan writes on social media.
The tax expert also wonders if Tunyan has forgotten the prime minister's words about never again informing him of any initiative to defer an already adopted procedure. "Is this change nothing more than an indefinite postponement of the adopted procedure? This [spirit] is simply captivating," Eduard Badalyan concludes.
The day before, ruling parliamentary faction member Babken Tunyan announced a simplification of the income declaration system for individuals. Specifically, if citizens believe they have no other income beyond the income information known to the State Revenue Committee, they do not need to complete a declaration. Then, after November 1, the automatically generated version will be considered final and accepted by the State Revenue Committee. This simplification does not apply to individuals with other income unknown to the committee. Citizens wishing to take advantage of state social loans- refunds of up to 100,000 drams for education and healthcare expenses-must also complete their own declarations. Regarding income declarations from bank deposits, citizens must either provide additional information about their deposits themselves or consent to the State Revenue Committee receiving this information from their banks.
As a reminder, the implementation of the Universal Income Declaration system for all resident citizens of the republic began in 2023. The process is organized in three stages, with the number of individuals required to submit the declaration expanding each year. The system's implementation will be completed in 2025. In 2025, tax returns will be required to be filed (the previous deadline was May 1, which was later extended to November 1) by employees (as well as individuals employed under civil contracts) who are citizens and residents of Armenia.
