Armenian Premier finds extra taxes for dental clinics reasonable and light burden
06.02.2013,
21:35
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, speaking Wednesday at a parliament Q&A session downplayed increasing complaints of dentists that extra taxes enforced by the government from January this year for dental clinics would hit hard their business.
YEREVAN, February 6. / ARKA /. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, speaking Wednesday at a parliament Q&A session downplayed increasing complaints of dentists that extra taxes enforced by the government from January this year for dental clinics would hit hard their business.
Under the new law that took force on January 1, 2013, every clinic with three dental chairs is to pay additionally from 60,000 to 100,000 drams every month in taxes, depending on its location (in the capital city or in a province), for each chair instead of former 20,000 drams. Clinics with more than three dental chairs will pay additional 48,000 per one chair.
“The calculations made by the State Revenue Committee and the finance ministry show that these additional payments are not a heavy burden on dental clinics, compared with payments in other areas,” the premier said.
“If we calculate the income of dentists or business owners and the taxes they pay, we’ll see that about 80,000-dram average extra tax per chair is quite a light burden.”
He said the government has received many complaints from citizens, who accuse dental clinics of shady dealings and said they should be brought to light from shadow.
In response to an opposition Armenian National Congress MP, Lyudmila Sargsyan’s statement that this decision will monopolize the area, Tigran Sargsyan called it groundless. He argued that in terms of dentists number per one thousand population Armenia is among leading countries.
The government’s new policy toward dental clinics has prompted the anger of the sector’s workers.
Dentists are convinced that this move will trigger job cuts and even closure of some clinics. They will be left with no option but to raise prices of their services.
Dentists have already staged several protests outside the government building and the president’s residence. ($1- AMD 406.03).-0-
