Yerevan/Mediamax/. Ex-Chairman of the Central Bank (CB) of Armenia Bagrat Asatryan believes that in order to deter inflation, tax load should be decreased in the country.

Mediamax reports that Bagrat Asatryan stated today that CB monetary tools are not sufficient to combat inflation, and in order to deter it, CB does not let national currency devaluate at the expense of its external resources.

“In 2010 only, CB used USD 150mln from external resources in order to maintain AMD currency rate, which is illegal. Armenian currency last year appreciated against USD and EUR on average by 10%”, Bagrat Asatryan stated.

Ex-Chairman of CB also stated that “Armenian population has been purchasing Russian has at market price for already a long time. It makes about USD 350 for one thousand cubic meters”.

Commenting on the statements of “Gazprom” Head, according to which in future Russia will be selling gas to Armenia at market prices, Bagrat Asatryan stated that the fact that “ArmRosGazprom” purchases gas for USD 190 per one thousand cubic meters does by no means influence the price, which the residents of Armenia pay for consumption of gas.

In Eastern European countries, the difference between the purchase and final price is very small, while in Armenia gas is sold almost twice more expensive than the purchase price, Bagrat Asatryan stated.