“Our Armenian land has many good examples. Particularly, the entry of the third operator in our economy that led to increasing rivalry for the market, to price decrease, contributed to internet availability. I have given an urgent instruction to the State Revenue Committee to tell the public what problems there are. And the State Revenue Committee has made a detailed explanation. If some entrepreneurships, not fulfilling their tax duties, try to politicize the issue, it is very dangerous…”, Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan made such a commentary on the departure of French-Armenian businesswoman Valeri-Ashkhen Gortsunyan, already the former owner of “Le Café de Paris”, from Armenia during an interview given to the Radio Liberty.
Today Mrs. Gortsunyan, speaking to Aravot.am from Paris, referred to the Prime Minister’s interview and the problem with taxation office and stated that regardless of the fact that she did not agree to the monitoring report made against her, she made the payment, “In August 2010 I went to Mr. Hovsepyan, the Head of the Supervisory Agency of the President of the Republic of Armenia, he told me to go and not sign any document from the taxation office, he would inform me and I am still waiting for his call.” V. Gortsunyan also noted that they wrote a letter with the same content to the Prime Minister, in order to delay paying the taxes. In this case, according to her, there was no answer, “In any country like France, if there are big problems, the state necessarily tries to support, in order that they continue working in that country. No one did anything to support me. I know that the most influential representatives of the community in France asked the Prime Minister to support me, but he didn’t do anything. Then I was compelled to pay my taxes. I have no problem with them now, I owe nothing to the taxation office.”
As for the fact that the Prime Minister mentioned the entry of the third operator to Armenia, she thinks, “‘Orange’ is internationally working with all countries and ‘Le Café de Paris’ is a small business compared to ‘Orange’. ‘Orange’s’ coming to Armenia had more of political reasons, which I’d better not construe, because I may say something wrong. I would like the state to understand that if it says to the Diaspora Armenians come and invest in Armenia, it has to be able to create conditions for attracting investments. We, individuals came to Armenia 16 years ago when there was no electricity and telecommunication with big heart and hopes. If the owner of ‘Le Café de Paris’ decides to sell the business 16 years after, she doesn’t do it for good reasons. If Mr. Prime Minister thinks that it is the right policy, let him think so.”
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Lusine KHACHATRYAN
