Yerevan/Mediamax/. Transnational producers of cigarettes managed to break down the resistance of Armenian spirit and tobacco lobbyists, reaching lifting of tax preferences for local producers.

Mediamax reports that Russian “RBC Daily” newspaper reads this. The newspaper notes that in the nearest future Armenian President should sign a decree on making amendments in the law on “Excise Tax”, which provide for equaling of excise rates for Armenian and foreign companies by 2014.

Since 2000, excise rates for importers of tobacco and local producers in Armenia differed from each other. In 2008, Armenian parliament increased the difference of rates for local and foreign producers, which made 36.8% in 2009. The same practice was implemented also in the market of spirits: the rate of the excise tax for importers increased by 100%.

“RBC Daily” reads that the decision on equaling the excise rates by 2014 was made by the Armenian parliament after Ukraine, which has become a member of WTO, initiated establishment of a special committee for solving the “Armenian issue”.

 “I do not doubt that the decision on equaling the excise rates for tobacco products in Armenia was pressed for by transnational corporations with the use of WTO tools”, Director of “Russian Tobacco” Agency Maxim Korolyov stated.