On June 1, CSOs participating in the Civil Society Organisations (CSO) incubators in the framework of the EU funded “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” project met with First Deputy Minister of Finance Karen Brutyan.
According to Karen Brutyan, First Deputy Minister of Finance, the working format will be worked out to ensure CSO involvement with the Ministry’s initiatives.
“We are ready to make everything publicly accessible, except for state secrets. The Ministry of Finance is also a public policy-maker body. It is very important that we really can distinguish between the role of the institution and the role of other agencies in the field of public administration, it will be good for the issues related to the policy of different spheres, the addressees are the relevant bodies in that area, the dialogue with them will be developed and outcome will be discussed,” the Deputy Minister said.
Mr. Hakob Avagyan, the Executive Director of the Project Partner SME Cooperation Association, presented the program, stressing that it is aimed at strengthening civil society organisations-government dialogue and aims to increase the impact of public opinion on policies in various fields. “Even if we define a rule for dialogue with the state body, and then we fail to maintain it, how could the civil society force to say that it has something to say? We need a mechanism to make them real,” Hakob Avagyan said.
In response, Deputy Minister Karen Brutyan said: “We are introducing a quick response scheme and at any moment when the coalition will have any questions with the Ministry of Finance, you can apply to me or the Minister of Finance, either in working order or written form.”
Anahit Shahzadyan, representative of the Regional Business Center Business Support NGO, mentioned that meetings with the government in such format are welcomed. “There are many problems that we will represent as a NGO, after bringing together the issues we will submit to the Ministry of Finance, and I think they will definitely get answers. After this open, transparent and very constructive meeting, I think our work will succeed,” she said.
Representative of “Development Principles” NGO Armen Petrosyan said that the proposals on tax policy will be developed and presented to the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry is expected to accept them. “In my estimation, we had a problem of independence, the State Revenue Committee worked out a tax policy and at the same time is an implementing body, during this meeting Karen Brutyan introduced that the process of tax policy development will be transferred to the Ministry of Finance, which is definitely welcomed,” Armen Petrosyan said. He also mentioned that many laws need to be clarified, as many businesses do not want to violate the law, but most of the fines come out because of the unclearness of the law.
Civil society organisations (CSOs) incubators are aimed at promoting the capacity building of CSOs and enhancing their effectiveness.
Alisa Chilingaryan
