YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues related to the fight against corruption, improvement of administration, and reduction of the shadow economy were discussed at the September 12 working consultation conducted by the Armenian president Robert Kocharian. According to a press release submitted to NT by the RA president's press service, the prime minister, the heads of the RA president's staff and control service, the heads of the tax and customs services, the chief of the RA police, the deputy director of the National Security Service, and the deputy prosecutor general participated in the consultation. The head of the State Tax Service Vahram Barseghian gave a report at the beginning of the consultation. He presented the existing problems and the work done since his appointment - over the past two months. The Armenian president pointed out that the State Tax Service must display resolution and carry out all tasks of this year by means of improving administration. He expressed his concern at unsatisfactory tax administration, the absence of proper control, the imperfect state of the legislative field, and the facts of protectionism by officials. The president underlined the necessity of fulfilling tax obligations by organizations providing goods and srvices with state budgetary resources. Stressing once again that no businessman should have privileged conditions in Armenia, Robert Kocharian gave instructions on concrete cases, as well as general instructions to the law enforcement bodies: to reveal tax and customs employees committing protectionism and punish them under the law. The president said that in order to solve the current problems, it is necessary to use a complex action plan which will allow to close all loopholes used by unsrupulous tax payers and to rapidly achieve notable results in the fight aganst corruption and shadow economy. He instructed those present to make proposals on measures of the indicated action plan within two days and prepare the respective package of legislative amendments.

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