Small business owners in Armenia again stage protest outside Government
Shop owners at Arinj Mall, Surmaly and Petak markets again gathered outside the Armenian Government building to present their proposals to the State Revenue Committee (SRC). Last week the demonstrators demanded that tax authorities leave them alone and let them work as usual. They claimed that tax inspectors threaten them, forcing them to document each item they sell and hire accountants, thus creating an atmosphere of fear at the markets. The coordinator of the protest, Armen Nersisyan, said a working group had been set up to deal with the issue. At present, the group is protesting near the fountains as the government is hosting a delegation from India. Last week, the SRC answered the shop owners with a statement in which it said that ‘the protest was planned and directed.’ “Provoking such protests for personal interests is futile. The Committee is determined to go till the end,” the SRC said.
