New PM says vulnerable consumers must pay less for electricity, gasSeptember 15, 2016 - 13:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan ordered on Thursday, September 15 that relevant agencies develop a strategy which would allow socially vulnerable people to pay less for electricity and gas at the expense of other consumers. Chairing a government session, Karapetyan told the Public Services Regulatory Commission, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and that of Labor and Social Affairs “to team up for a logical mechanism.” He said, however, that the changes should be made not at the expense of the budget, but the businesses providing such services. So it wasn’t entirely clear whether non-vulnerable consumers or the businesses should pay the difference once a mechanism is created. Another of the issues the newly-appointed premier weighed in on was corruption. He said that new committees will be established to tackle the issue. But meanwhile, Karapetyan said, the State Revenue Committee should ensure the immediate implementation of tax regulations by major manufacturers and importers who are considered privileged. He said that tax inspections should be carried out exclusively in entities posing risk and checkups in small and medium-sized enterprises must be implemented only in extreme cases. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Azerbaijan must respect human rights, Scholz tells Aliyev German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for greater respect for human rights in Azerbaijan. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. |