SRC chief denies claims of targeted tax actions

PanARMENIAN.Net - There has been no instruction to launch “tax pressure” against the businesses of entrepreneur and Strong Armenia party leader Samvel Karapetyan, Armenia’s State Revenue Committee (SRC) Chairman Eduard Hakobyan said in a briefing with journalists, Sputnik Armenia reports.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had commented on Karapetyan in a video message, saying he “fears that by the end of the year Karapetyan could go from billionaire to homeless.”

Hakobyan noted that he had not heard the statement due to being busy.

“I have no such instruction, and allow me not to comment further,” he said.

Responding to a question about whether there had been cases of orders to inspect specific businesses to uncover violations, Hakobyan ruled out such practices.

“During my tenure as chairman of the State Revenue Committee, there have been no such cases. Our administration is based on targeted risk analysis,” he said.

He also recalled that the SRC’s direct superior is the prime minister, noting it is natural that various business risks and potential issues are sometimes discussed.

“Such discussions with the prime minister do take place, and that is completely normal. We ourselves initiate many analyses and present them to the prime minister. It is clear that we target risks and the shadow economy — that is our working style,” Hakobyan concluded.