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On March 11, the NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs initiated a working discussion on the draft laws on Making Addenda to the law on Trade and Services and on Making Addendum and Amendments to the RA Code on Administrative Offences. Representatives of the Government and the entities took part in the discussion.

The Head of Department of Quality Infrastructures Development of the RA Ministry of Economy Zhanna Zakaryan has noted that it is designed to set a demand of furnishing with adjustment regime register for recharging the fuel-distributary towers in the retail trade points of the liquid fuel, compressed natural or liquefied oil gases, also relevant administrative responsibility.

The Committee Chair Vahe Hakobyan raised the issue of expediency for accepting such regulations in the conditions of unstable prices and inflation, noting that, eventually it would fall on the consumer.

The Head of the Market Control Inspectorate Armen Kotolyan has noted that often the entity intervenes to the work of the fuel-distributary tower, as a consequence of which, we have undercharge. In case of discovering the possible intervention with the help of proposing device testing will be carried out in a relevant procedure.

During the discussion the deputies tried to find out the price of the device, noting that it could be an additional financial burden for the entity, then for the consumer. It was noted that several producers proposed different prices for the device, and as a result of discussions, the best version would be chosen. An opinion was voiced that the proposing change should be made gradually, in case of violation, this regulation should also be applied with the administrative responsibility.

The possibilities of preventing the misuse with the legal regulations in force touched upon. To some entities’ conviction, the existing towers have those possibilities, if, of course effective control will be set.

In the viewpoint of the Deputy Chair of the Committee Babken Tunyan, a balanced decision should be made not to let the decent entities to fall under additional financial burden. Introducing statistical data, the Committee Deputy Chair underlined in the last years the efficiency of the checks had increased: targeted tests were carried out. He touched upon the expediency of the test increase.

The Head of the Market Control Inspectorate has mentioned that the inspectorate has no corresponding human resources for more tests.

Summing up the discussion, Vahe Hakobyan informed that a working group would be created for grouping and discussing the presented proposals.