YEREVAN. – The government of Armenian is not going to limit to metallurgical companies alone, and plans to expand the list of enterprises that are engaged in mining activities. Lilia Shushanyan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, said this at Tuesday’s sitting of the National Assembly, during the first-reading debates on the bill on making amendments and additions to the law on targeted use of environment tax being paid by companies.

Shushanyan stated this in response to opposition Prosperous Armenia faction MP Sergey Bagratyan’s question as to why the government should decide the list of these companies. According to the MP, if the government has decided that companies should pay additional taxes, the deductions should affect everyone.

"We are just enshrining the legal status of these companies," the deputy minister explained. "However, in addition, other companies can also be added to the list, as they also have to pay environment taxes, and the communities will have the opportunity and the right to receive these funds."