Information technologies have been declared a priority sector in Armenia for already 10 years but we are still far behind our neighbors on development rate, Hovik Musayelyan, Executive Director of Synopsys Armenia told the journalists today. According to him, there is positive movement in IT field but less tangible than in neighboring states.

Neighboring states spend large amounts on development of IT sector, whereas only strategy and doctrine is being discussed in Armenia.

Musayelyan considers that the government should give preferences to the sector, thus amendments should be introduced. For instance, foreign companies are exempt from taxes in Turkey, he added. That is the reason, Microsoft company has invested 4 billions in country’s educational system.

Issues on tax preferences and custom facilities for IT companies are being discussed in the Russian State Duma as well.

Musayelyan wonders why tax preferences are not granted to companies making investments in Armenian educational system. “We have been raising the issue for 10 years. We are told the government does not want to create “greenhouse conditions” for a certain field. Why do they make statements if do not want to create such climate?” he wonders.