ARFD opposes state budget draft, supports amendments to tax packageNovember 18, 2011 - 13:59 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - ARF Dashnaktsutyun (ARFD) opposition party will vote against 2012 state budget draft, at the same time, supporting government- introduced amendments to tax package. “We’re fully opposed to the budget draft, as the latter fails to respond to current challenges, imposing conditions impossible for Armenia’s economy to meet,” ARFD member Artsvik Minasyan told journalists at National Assembly. To prove his point, the MP cited the government’s refusing the ARFD- advanced proposal to increase minimal salaries. “The government failed to prove our initiative and unfeasible. Armenia must not have salaries lower than the living wage,” Minasyan stressed. However, the government included many of ARFD suggestions in the tax package. Minasyan listed transition to progressive taxation and luxury taxes among other ARFD suggestions. 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 | Russia clarifying reports on Baku’s alleged arms supply to Ukraine Russia says is carefully working to verify reports about alleged arms supplies from Azerbaijan to Ukraine Russia warns Armenia against “falling into West’s trap” Zakharova maintained, however, that anything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed. CSTO: Armenia has not participated in secretariat’s work recently Recently Armenia has not participated in the work of the secretariat of the CSTO, Imangali Tasmagambetov said. Meeting with U.S., EU not against third parties, says Armenia The meeting scheduled for April 5 is dedicated to strengthening of the Armenia-EU-US cooperation, Yerevan added. |