Thursday, 16 January 2014
Inspection Reform Leads To Improved Business Environment
A Cabinet sitting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
The meeting approved a sample checklist and a methodology for risk-based checkups to be carried out by the Ministry of Urban Development-affiliated State Urban Development Inspectorate, as well as the summary description of risk criteria.
The decision provides that risks in urban planning decisions will be assessed by means of facility checks and that the developer shall be considered as the operator responsible for construction. The operator will be given a consolidated rating, including the assessment of the activities implemented on the site by other developers. A database will be out in order to classify the target facilities according to applicable risk criteria.
The Prime Minister said that the above issues have been thoroughly discussed and finalized and will now be submitted to the Government for approval.
The Cabinet next approved the bill on real estate tax as necessitated by government-approved concept note on ways of improving property tax system efficiency.
Whereas the bill is expected into force as of January 1, 2015, the Prime Minister noted that the National Assembly debate should start as soon as possible. “This is a good law in the sense that it will simplify tax administration through less reporting and a friendly tax and business environment for economic entities and ordinary citizens,” Tigran Sargsyan said.
The bill will be submitted to the National Assembly for approval in the manner established by law.
The Government amended one of its previous decisions to improve the healthcare conditions of draft-age young people in Armenia. A comprehensive first-stage medical examination shall lead to early prevention of diseases, which in turn will ensure healthy recruits for the Army.
The ongoing educational reform has led to uneven workload in Kapan town schools. Since there are numerous free and unused areas, the meeting decided to hand over to the municipality of Kapan one of No. 1 secondary school buildings for reorganization into a kindergarten.
In conclusion, the Executive approved a proposal for signing an economic and industrial cooperation arrangement between the governments of the Republic of Armenia and the Czech Republic.
