Last year Vahagn Hovnanyan, a Diaspora businessman, actively criticized the fact that monopolies were widespread in the Armenian economy, as a result of which many businessmen’s entrance into the market was closed. The businessman was displeased
that, for example, he had wished to import wheat from Russia, but he had been advised not to take that step, since those who had a monopolistic position in that field just would not have allowed him to enter the market.
After this statement of Mr. Hovnanyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan said during the radio show The Crossroads of Opinions of Radio Liberty (7/18/2011), “I can assure you regarding importing wheat that there is absolutely no problem with importing wheat to Armenia, not at all.” In response to a question of www.aravot.am whether after that official statement of the Prime Minister, the businessman had tried or didn’t wish to be involved in importing wheat, Vahagn Hovnanyan assured that no. As for why, the businessman stated that he was not aware of the rules of the field.
Today Vahagn Hovnanyan praised the Cabinet and particularly stressed that the Cabinet punished those who had and abused monopolies using heavy fines. www.aravot.am inquired of the businessman what punishment was provided for by the US law to a businessman for anticompetitive practices and whether compensation was given to other businessmen who had suffered from such actions, whereas in our country the law didn’t provide for it.
Firstly Vahagn Hovnanyan said that if there were cases regarding anticompetitiveness or abusing a dominant position in the US, they would be discussed for years how to punish and what fine to inflict, “I don’t know why they rushed in that case.” As for the businessman who had suffered from anticompetitive practices, Vahagn Hovnanyan assured that the law in the US was the following – the aggrieved party can, in the businessman’s words, get his money back by legal means.
NELLY BABAYAN
