"Authorities Patch the Budget with the Help of Cobblers"

"AUTHORITIES PATCH THE BUDGET WITH THE HELP OF COBBLERS"

A1+
[02:53 pm] 06 February, 2007

While leaving the cobbler’s stall, do not forget to take the check!

On February 7cashboxes will be installed in the cobblers’ stalls
of Avan.

The cobbler Ruben is anxious; how he can afford a cashbox at the cost
of 70 thousand AMD when he repairs only 1-2 shoes a day.

Rouben pays a tax equal to the 5% of his annual circulation every
three months. At the turn of the year he pays 60 thousand AMD. Besides,
he pays 5 thousand AMD to the pension fund each month, let alone the
energy and comunal expenses.

I am convinced that sooner or later I shall be forced to pay all
these expenses by borrowings. I am going to buy the cashbox in that
way too as I have no way out.

I have nothing to gain but losses.Who do I work for?

It seems that the RA authorities have decided to fill the budget
with the help of cobblers on the eve of the upcoming elections. They
probably are in a bad need", Rouben shared his concerns with us.

Under the decision of the RA government private entrepreneurs and
firms realising services via cash were to have cashboxes.There is
a special list involving the names of the people liable to pay;
cobblers are not among them.

So far cobblers haven’t been forced to put cashboxes.

But starting from February 7, shomakers will be fined 150 thousand
AMD in case they don’t have cashboxes inside the stalls.

Some of Rouben’s friends have already installed cashboxes but Rouben
assumes that "they don’t know how they will represent the money spent
on the purchase of shoe material to the tax department when the prices
keep rising and dropping in the market ".

Haykouhi Vardanyan, deputy head of the Avan tax department, claims that
the cashboxes will not hinder the activity of minor business, just on
the contrary, they will contribute to it. Asked the question why the
decision made six months earlier will be put into effect tomorrow, she
answered, "So far, we have been loyal to them and allowed them to get
cashboxes during as there are firms realising credit sale of cashboxes.

The matter must be considered from another point of view; it would
be better to provide the cobblers with a chance to purchase cheaper
cashboxes".