Armenian Parliament Amends Earth Entrails Code Despite Environmentalists’ Protests
29.11.2011,
02:57
On Monday, Armenian National Assembly passed at the third final reading amendments to the code on subsurface resources.
YEREVAN, November 28. /ARKA/. On Monday, Armenian National Assembly passed at the third final reading amendments to the code on subsurface resources.
Public activists and environmentalists gathered outside the parliament building demanding the code be left unchanged.
They were convinced that the passage of the amendments will inflict irreparable damage to the country’s environment.
Stepan Safaryan, head of Zharangutiun (Heritage) opposition faction in the National Assembly, speaking at the session, said that the bill gives room for barbarian treatment of entrails. He urged his fellow parliamentarians to take into account environmentalists’ opinion and vote against the bill.
Zharangutiun faction voted against it, but the bill, nevertheless, was passed by the 73 votes cast in favor of it.
Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that the bill proposes a new model that allows enlargement of tax revenue by AMD 3.5 billion in 2012, compared with 2011.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Armen Movsisyan said as presented the bill to lawmakers that the code specifies principles and rules of usage of subsurface resources and protection of environment.
He said that the code applies to all kinds of natural resources but oil and gas and their exploration as well as radioactive materials and fresh water resources, which are specified in separate laws.
Movsisyan said that the amendment would simplify many procedures and bring fiscal policy procedures closer to international standards.
He said that licensing procedure would be simplified as well. The amended law also implies monitoring of underground resources usage and wastes.
The current code, as the minister said, is imperfect – it has certain faults and doesn’t create favorable environment for investments.
Vardan Ayvazyan, chairman of the National Assembly’s economic committee, on his side, said that the proposed changes to the law under which the amount of taxation will be tied to sales volumes and not to ore reserves will help boost this sector.
“Today nothing attracts large investments to the sector, while after the amended code takes force, $3 or $4 billion may be invested in it within a few years,” he said.
The MP is convinced that these changes won’t drive prices up and taxes will be in tune with international prices and criteria. –0--
Public activists and environmentalists gathered outside the parliament building demanding the code be left unchanged.
They were convinced that the passage of the amendments will inflict irreparable damage to the country’s environment.
Stepan Safaryan, head of Zharangutiun (Heritage) opposition faction in the National Assembly, speaking at the session, said that the bill gives room for barbarian treatment of entrails. He urged his fellow parliamentarians to take into account environmentalists’ opinion and vote against the bill.
Zharangutiun faction voted against it, but the bill, nevertheless, was passed by the 73 votes cast in favor of it.
Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that the bill proposes a new model that allows enlargement of tax revenue by AMD 3.5 billion in 2012, compared with 2011.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Armen Movsisyan said as presented the bill to lawmakers that the code specifies principles and rules of usage of subsurface resources and protection of environment.
He said that the code applies to all kinds of natural resources but oil and gas and their exploration as well as radioactive materials and fresh water resources, which are specified in separate laws.
Movsisyan said that the amendment would simplify many procedures and bring fiscal policy procedures closer to international standards.
He said that licensing procedure would be simplified as well. The amended law also implies monitoring of underground resources usage and wastes.
The current code, as the minister said, is imperfect – it has certain faults and doesn’t create favorable environment for investments.
Vardan Ayvazyan, chairman of the National Assembly’s economic committee, on his side, said that the proposed changes to the law under which the amount of taxation will be tied to sales volumes and not to ore reserves will help boost this sector.
“Today nothing attracts large investments to the sector, while after the amended code takes force, $3 or $4 billion may be invested in it within a few years,” he said.
The MP is convinced that these changes won’t drive prices up and taxes will be in tune with international prices and criteria. –0--
