Hovik Abrahamyan: Do you want repetition of March 1, 2008, deadly clashes? (video)
Residents of Gyumri city are going to block the route to Yerevan on Thursday in protest against the controversial sales tax law that comes into effect on October 1, opposition lawmaker Martun Grigoryan said in parliament on Wednesday. Earlier today the member of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) met with Gyumri residents who expressed desire to meet with government officials. Finance Minister Gagik Khachatryan said the government is interested in helping small and medium-sized enterprises and the law is advantageous to those who work honestly. BHK lawmaker Vahan Babayan wondered whether the government was going to grant any privileges or not. He reminded that numerous traders had been standing in the rain outside the parliament building for several days. “Your position is not clear to me, Mr Babayan and Mr Grigoryan. You are speaking in the language of ultimatums. Have you brought the style from the outside? When I worked in the National Assembly, I did not encounter such a thing,” said Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan. He added that numerous discussions had been held before the adoption of the law, and their primary goal is to force large companies to pay taxes. Mr Abrahamyan added that he wanted to meet with the opposition quartet but the four forces did not want to meet. “Revolution is excluded in Armenia. Do you want repetition of the March 1, 2008, deadly clashes?” he said.
