Visits and inspections aimed at the regulation of open-air commerce are among everyday obligations of relevant subdivisions of the Municipality of Yerevan. In spite of numerous warnings and applied fines some citizens carry on arranging their trade on sidewalks and in other irrelevant areas.
According to the head of the Department of Trade and Services Hovik Safaryan, to regulate the problem of illegal open-air trade legislative changes are required. Because there are no other means but convincing and fining some citizens prefer paying fines and carrying on trading in the areas they choose. However the goal of the city authorities is not to expose fines but to stop illegalities in the open-air commerce. They want traders to work in more comfortable conditions. There are 24 markets in Yerevan with nearly 1350 vacant places. All necessary conditions are provided in these markets. Moreover, the authorities want all entities work in equal competitive environment. Those who develop illegal open-air commerce don’t pay taxes and they also create anti-sanitary situation in streets.
Yerevan Municipality
