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Armenian lawyers protest against bill that will increase the cost of their services

21.05.2024, 13:20
Armenian lawyers have expressed dissatisfaction with a new bill on the parliament's agenda, according to which from October 2024 they will have to pay 10% turnover tax instead of 5% now, and from 2025 they will switch to paying 20% VAT.
Armenian lawyers protest against bill that will increase the cost of their services
YEREVAN, May 21. /ARKA/. Armenian lawyers have expressed dissatisfaction with a new bill on the parliament's agenda, according to which from October 2024 they will have to pay 10% turnover tax instead of 5% now, and from 2025 they will switch to paying 20% VAT.

Head of the Armenian Chamber of Advocates Simon Babayan told a press conference that since 2019 the authorities have been trying to push this bill through, without the Chamber of Advocates being informed about it.
At the same time, according to him, the Ombudsman and the Ministry of Justice were against the bill, but despite that, the process of pushing it through was continued and it is now on the parliament's agenda.

According to him, such a tax increase will lead to a significant increase in the price of lawyer services by 38%
 "It will hit the pockets of ordinary citizens. About 250 thousand cases are pending in Armenian courts now, which means that the bill will affect at least 250 thousand people. There are cases in which there are two or several parties - imagine the problem we are facing," Babayan said.

He noted that lawyers will be obliged to keep tax records according to a more complicated procedure. In addition, it will become almost impossible to provide free legal aid, because the lawyer will still have to pay taxes.

 "I will separately note - the burden will fall on individuals, the main consumers of services are citizens because they do not pay VAT, and for legal entities that pay VAT, our services will be more affordable than for ordinary citizens," he said. Babayan said that lawyers are going on strike today as a sign of protest. -0-