YEREVAN. - One gets the impression that the Armenian government wants to devastate Armenia for 9 billion AMD, Mikayel Melkumyan, Prosperous Armenia faction MP and Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs Committee Deputy Chair said in the parliament on Thursday during the discussion of the bill on raising the excise tax of cigarettes, vodka and fuel, introduced by Finance Ministry.

According to the estimates of the Armenian government, the bill will bring 9 billion AMD to the country’s treasury (nearly $19 million by the current rate).

“The Armenian government states that the bill aims to bring together the excide taxes in Armenia and Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) states, where they are significantly higher. But if so, then you should also follow other rules of the EEU states, [for instance] index the population’s income, salaries and pensions. Introduce also this kind of a bill, and we’ll adopt it together. Otherwise, you want to threaten the already poor living of the majority of the population. Do you want to devastate the country?” the MP said.