YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 16, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has chaired a consultation on February 16 where the work aimed at modernizing the functions of the State Revenue Committee was presented.

Prior to touching upon agenda issues, the prime minister made several observations concerning the tax authority’s functions.

“I am sure you followed the parliamentary debates of the government’s action plan. Generally, one of our main political priorities is to change the citizens’ attitude towards the taxes paid by them and obligations of paying taxes and this is of strategic and cornerstone significance for us in the context of fulfilling the economic revolution that we have declared. I would like to say that here we have three directions to work on.

First, of course, is dialogue with our citizens, in the direction of increasing their understanding and perception regarding this issue.

The second direction, of course, is to create a fair taxation system in terms of legislation and we are currently working in this direction.

Third, not less important, if not the most important, is the perception of citizens towards the State Revenue Committee’s image, the quality of its work, the content of its work and its self-esteem, which is highly important.

Recently a lot of criticism was voiced for the State Revenue Committee’s work and we have also addressed this topic during parliamentary debates. It is highly important that we eventually be able to change the perception of a certain part of the society, pardon me for saying it so bluntly, on as if the State Revenue Committee is living on their [citizens’] expense and the expense of their interests. It is very important for the society to see and feel that the State Revenue Committee isn’t indifferent for criticism addressed to it, starting from work style, general content and conduct.

This is an extremely important problem and I would like the executive staff of the State Revenue Committee and its entire composition to realize it. I expect that simultaneously with this process a change in relations of the public, the citizen and the State Revenue Committee will happen, and the State Revenue Service, its executive staff and generally the entire staff to do its best in order to present itself to the public with an entirely new image and so that this image isn’t just a so-called PR tool, but for it to be a deep content analysis, within the reasoning of reacting to justified critique. This is extremely important and you can consider this as my direct directive to you, Mr. Ananyan, and generally the entire staff of the State Revenue Committee,” he told Davit Ananyan, the State Revenue Committee chairman.

“Let’s agree that we will periodically discuss what changes we have been able to make in this logic and what results we have achieved. We must also closely monitor the public response to this process and expected changes,” the prime minister said.

Then, tax authorities presented a new program of modernizing tax administration. State Revenue Committee officials said the program has been developed based on international practice. The program will be realized under the “We believe in our future and we pay our taxes” motto.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan