YEREVAN. – The fact that the bill on granting tax privileges to the church was adopted at the first hearings in the parliament proves respect for the Armenian Church, ruling Prosperous Armenia Party MP Vardan Bostanjyan said at the press conference on Thursday regarding the bill on granting taxation for Holy See Echmiadzin.

The MP said that the issue was that local self-governmental bodies have lack of self-financing. Financial assets are not enough for the community development. Besides they come from the taxation of land and property, which does not allow active development. The adoption of bill means that local self-governmental bodies, which receive subsidy from state, get deprived of money.

In response, Bishop Arshak Khachatryan stated that taxes for lands, which belong to the church, are not the major income of the local communities. Thus, taxes are not much and will not damage the community budget if Armenian Church will be granted tax privileges. Besides, if the church pays tax, it will have to reduce one third of its philanthropic projects.

Armenian News-NEWS.am earlier informed that the bill caused serious discussions in the national parliament.