Yesterday, in the morning, in the village store, where I do shopping almost every day, I was present in the conversation between the supplier and the shop woman (the owner’s wife). “Here are your papers, I will send a copy by e-mail,” promised the supplier and wrote down what he should bring next time. “Are you working accordingly since yesterday?” I asked. “No, I’ve always had all the papers,” was the answer. “And don’t you need an accountant?” I inquired. “What accountant? To read the invoice?” said the woman in surprise.
I am tell you what happened yesterday, what I saw with my own eyes not in the supermarket but in a small store, which was initially located in the owner’s house. Years later, a separate construction was built, and few more years later, the building will be expanded, the “skeleton” is already laid. Why does all of this last for years? “I do not want to owe to the bank, – explains the owner, – as much I work, so I invest, that’s why it lasts so long to get it done.”
There is, of course, a problem in the demand of submitting the documents for the goods. Demanding a document from the seller of “bolts and nuts” in Vernissage is absurd. Generally, it is ridiculous to view such people as tax-payers, let them make their living, no need to disturb them. But if you have a store where you sell, let’s say, dairy products, I do not think that it’s right to work without a document. Here, another type of solution is required, without penalties and fines.
I will illustrate an example on the same dairy products. The inspector sees that the dairy product of the specific brand does not have a document. There is no need to first warn the owner of the store and then fine so and so. Breaching should be recorded and then go to the dairy company and impose sanctions there. In other words, to punish not for failing to take the document, but for failing to give it. If there is a desire, rational solutions can be found without creating unnecessary tensions.
General type of conversations that it is necessary to fight against breaches by major owners, and it should be done by tax and customs authorities, that the idea of getting to the major ones through the small ones is wrong, that the “superb masters” of shadow economy are just sitting in the government, of course, add fuel to the fire. The allegations are mainly true, but it does not mean that there must be perfect “jungles” in the trade industry, which, in fact, are advantageous for the big business owners. Perhaps, the recent complaints are not totally elemental.
“Well, how can these poor people live then?” the populist repertoire I listen more from the taxi-drivers and politicians. Less from original vendors. Perhaps, the reason is that the taxi-drivers and politicians have more free time.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
