EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO ALLOCATE 21 MLN EVROS TO ARMENIA IN 2007

Noyan Tapan
Dec 05 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Commission proposes
new ways of strengthening of the European Neighbourhood Policy
(ENP). According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the
European Commission Armenian Office, the budget envisaged for the ENP
countries for 2007-2013 makes 12 bln evros, what is 32% more than the
budget of the previous year was. Within the framework of the European
Commission assistance, 17 mln evros were allocated to Armenia in 2006,
and it is envisaged to allocate 21 mln evros in 2007.

Priorities of the reforms envisaged by the EU-Armenia joint ENP Actions
Plan are strengthening of state structures, assistance addressed to
economic and social development (as well as civil society), regional
cooperation and assistance to peaceful settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. According to the same source, to implement reforms
in Armenia, the EU assisted different spheres, including economic,
political, educational, etc.

WE SHOULD GIVE CONTENT TO POLITICAL STRUGGLE IN ORDER TO PREVENT CONFLICTS AMONG PARTIES, CHAIRMAN OF CHRISTIAN-DEMOCRATIC UNION OF ARMENIA SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 05 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. There are some opposition parties in
Armenian home political sphere that feel the danger of being left out
of political processes in case of not succeeding at the parliamentary
elections of 2007.

Khosrov Haroutiunian, Chairman of the Christian-Democratic Union
of Armenia, gave such an estimation to the current policy of the
Armenian parties at the December 5 press conference. In his words,
it is not excluded that the forecasts of Galust Sahakian, Head of the
parliamentary faction of the Republican Party of Armenia, will come
true. According to his forecasts, rough conflicts will take place among
some political forces in the preelection period. The Chairman of the
Christian-Democratic Union of Armenia declared that the possibility
of these conflicts should be neutralized. And for this, in his words,
"we should first of all give a quality and content to the political
struggle" for not physical, material or party members’ quantitative
abilities, but "parties’ conceptions on public life" to start to
conflict with one another. As Kh.Haroutiunian is affirmed, the idea
"politics is struggle for power" has been already exhausted.

ADDITIONS AND AMENDMENT MADE TO RA LAWS "ON LICENSING" AND "ON STATE DUTY"

Noyan Tapan
Dec 05 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. On December 5, RA National Assembly
in second reading and completely adopted a legislative package
envisaging making additions and an amendment to RA laws "On Licensing"
and "On State Duty."

According to the package, Exploitation of Free Economic Zone and
Organization of Free Economic Zone types of activities are additionally
included in types of activities subject to licensing. Annual state
duty rates amounting to 1000-fold basic duty (1 mln drams or about 2.6
thousand USD) and 3000-fold basic duty (3 mln drams) are established
for the latters.

YOUTH PARTY OF ARMENIA TO PUT UP ITS CANDIDATURE AT 41 ELECTORAL DISTRICTS AT 2007 NA ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 05 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The Youth Party of Armenia (YPA)
will nominate by the majoritarian electoral system deputy’s candidates
at all the 41 electoral districts at the coming RA parliamentary
elections. It is said in the statement spread by the YPA Board on
December 5. As it is mentioned in the statement, the party made such
a political decision "taking into consideration the public demand to
carry out generation change" and "having enough political potential,
ready young intellectual and healthy potential."

KHOSROV HAROUTIUNIAN: TODAY INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MORE SPEAKS ABOUT SETTLEMENT
OF PROBLEM OF OCCUPIED TERRITORIES THAN NKR’S RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION

Noyan Tapan
Dec 05 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The sides involved in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict – Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well
as Russia, U.S.

and European Union playing an influential part in the region
already realize the worst consequences of the problem’s not being
settled. Khosrov Haroutiunian, Chairman of the Christian-Democratic
Union of Armenia, expressed such an opinon at his December 5 meeting
with journalists. In his words, the necessity to make concessions has
matured. "One forms the impression that two out of three sides having
an influential position in the region – U.S. and EU are obviously
interested in settling the conflict," Kh.Haroutiunian declared. In
his words, after 2001 when U.S. was established in the Middle Asian
region, its political, economic and military influence increased
in the South Caucasus as well. And this, as the Chairman of the
Christian-Democratic Union of Armenia emphasized, also resulted
in strengthening of positions of U.S. and EU at the expense of
decrease of Russia’s influence. And Russia, in Kh.Haroutiunian’s
words, currently has to choose between "frozen conflicts in the South
Caucasus and NKR problem and has to decide which is more primary for
it." As he prognosed, Russia will consider as primary solution to
the problems of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The party leader said
that in difference to foreign forces, the Armenian and Azerbaijani
sides do not realize the necessity of compromises yet, which hampers
settlement of the problem. At present, in Kh.Haroutiunian’s words,
"absence of confidence between the sides" is also an obstacle and
nothing is done for liquidating it. And as third hampering circumstance
he mentioned that Armenia loses the information war, while thanks to
the efforts of the Azerbaijani media today the international community
more speaks about settlement of the problem of "occupied territories"
than the NKR’s right of self-determination.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: ARMENIA-EU RELATIONS ENTERED INTO PRACTICAL STAGE

Noyan Tapan
Dec 05 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia-European Union relations in
connection with the approval of the Actions Plan have entered into
a very important and practical stage. RA President Robert Kocharian
declared this on December 5 receiving the newly appointed Head of
the European Commission’s delegation in Armenia, Ambassador Per
Eklund. Mentioning that the Actions Plan is rather an ambitious
and large-scale document, R.Kocharian said that the Armenian side
expects European Commission’s support, as well as active work with
EU member countries. "We consider the program as a possibility to
continue all-embracing and systematized reforms and will strive for
using it as completely as possible," RA President said. According to
the report submitted to Noyan Tapan from RA President’s Press Office,
the sides held the same opinion, according to which the Actions Plan
will be a good basis for deepening EU-Armenia cooperation for even
more in the coming five years.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IT IS EXPEDIENT TO HAVE EUROPEAN COMMISSION RESIDENT AMBASSADOR IN YEREVAN, RA PRIME MINISTER CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 05 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia is ready for exerting
maximum efforts in the direction of efficient implementation of
EU-Armenia Actions Plan approved in November within the framework of
the European Neighborhood policy.

RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian declared this during his
December 5 meeting with newly appointed Head of European Commission’s
delegation in Armenia and Georgia, Per Goran Eklund. He said that
the European Comission, and, in particular, the delegation of the
European Commission in Armenia, certainly, will make its considerable
contribution in this issue. Saying that in Armenia they positively
estimate European Commission delegation’s activity, A.Margarian
meanwhile noted that in consideration of the growing volume of
issues on Armenia-EU agenda, it will be expedient to have a European
Commission Resident Ambassador in Yerevan. He informed the guest that
RA Foreign Minister has aleady applied to Benita Ferrero-Waldner,
Commissioner for Issues of European Neighborhood Policy, with this
issue. The head of European Commission’s delegation assured that
Armenia’s wish and proposal to have an individual ambassador will be
taken into consideration without fail. He said that no country will
be given a special preference within the framework of the neighborhood
in case of such appointment and a European Commission Ambassador will
be appointed both in Baku and in Yerevan, so Armenia should have no
anxiety about violating the principle of parity. As NT was informed
from RA government Information and Public Relations Department,
during the talk they touched upon the assistance of 400 mln euros
provided to Armenia by the European Commission since independence
within the framework of TACIS and other different programs.

M.Margarian said that the assistance being provided currently also
considerably contributes to Armenia’s economic, political progress
and facilitates the process of European integration. RA Prime Minister
said that parallel with activization of political dialogue, EU-Armenia
trade and economic ties are also being extended: EU is Armenia’s
biggest trade partner and the volume of foreign investments in the
country’s economy made by EU is also significant.

RA STATE BUDGET TAX REVENUES GROW BY 14.4% IN JANUARY-OCTOBER 2006 ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Dec 05 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-October 2006, 45.1% of
the RA state budget tax revenues was secured at the expense of VAT,
whose amount made 128.6 billion drams (over 302 mln USD). According
to the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy, 87.3 bln drams of this sum
was received from taxation on the Armenian border, and 41.3 bln drams
– from domestic turnover of goods and services. VAT revenues of the
state budget grew by 14.4% or 16.2 billion drams compared with the same
period of 2005. VAT revenues increased both from imports and domestic
turnover. In January-October 2006, 11.3% of the state budget’s tax
revenues was secured at the expemse of excise tax amounting to over
32.3 billion drams. Particularly, 21.7 bln drams was received from
taxation of excise tax-subject goods imported into Armenia, including
10.3 bln drams from taxation of imported gasoline and diesel fuel,
and 9.3 bln drams – from taxation of imported cigarettes. State
budget reveues from taxation of excise tax-subject goods of local
production made 10.6 bln drams, 4.9 bln drams of which was received
from taxation of local production cigarettes. Excise tax revenues
grew by 2.9% or 921.2 mln drams on the same period of last year.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PROFIT TAX COLLECTION GROWS BY 44.5% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-OCTOBER 2006 COMPARED WITH SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Dec 05 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-October 2006, 18.8%
of the RA state budget’s tax revenues was secured at the expense
of profit tax revenues that amounted to over 53.6 bln drams (about
126 mln USD). According to the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy,
profit tax revenues grew by 44.5% or 16.5 bln drams on the same period
of last year. A growth in profit tax paid by non-state organizations
and non-residents was registered. The amount of profit tax from other
sources also grew on the first ten months of last year, except for
payments from state enterprises. In January-October 2006, the RA state
budget’s income tax revenues made 27.7 bln drams, which exceeds by
35.1% or 7.2 bln drams the respective index of 2005. The main sources
of this growth were incomes from salaries, and execution of labor
and civil-legal agreements.

EU URGES ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN TO ACHIEVE PROGRESS WITHOUT HESITATION

ArmRadio.am
05.12.2006 14:48

The European Union is inspired with the active dialogue between
Armenia and Azerbaijan directed at the settlement of the conflict,
Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said at the OSCE Ministerial
meeting, Mediamax reports.

"The European Union welcomes the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs directed at the resolution of the Karabakh conflict. The EU
is inspired with the active dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We
call on the parties to use the opportunity and achieve progress
without hesitation. We welcome the successes of the OSCE ad hoc
mission, which visited the areas that suffered of fire," added the
Foreign Minister of Finland.

The Foreign Minister of Romania Mikhay-Ravzan Ungurianu also referred
to the issue of the OSCE mission’s visit. He said in particular that
"Romania welcomes the efforts directed at the restoration of trust
between the two parties.

" "The work of the OSCE mission in Nagorno Karabakh and adjacent
territories was an effective initiative, and now this experience
should be used," said the Romanian FM.

In his speech Erkki Tuomioja expressed appreciation for the
ratification of the Action plans with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
in the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy.

"We hope that the accomplishment of the Action Plan will endorse the
reinforcement of stability in the region and will strengthen EU’s
ties with the three countries of the South Caucasus," declared the
Finnish Minister.

The Chairman of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Goran Lenmarker
declared in his speech that there is a "golden" opportunity for
the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and expressed hope that the
parties will use it.