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On May 25, by the decision of the RA NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan in the Session Hall parliamentary hearings The Report of the Activity of the RA State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition (SCPEC) for 2019 were organized.

Only RA NA deputies took part in the discussions conditioned by the danger of coronavirus disease spread.

In his opening remarks the RA NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan has noted that a number of high ranking officials being elected by the National Assembly make annual reports and programmes before the parliament. According to him, as a result of the amendments of the legislation made by quick or non sufficient rate have been left out of this regulation.

The Head of the parliament has noted that there are bodies that shall regularly make annual reports, but the legislation has no such imperative norm.

“We have found such solution with the SCPEC, we have held parliamentary hearings, formal hearings, but we’ll have that non-imperative demand made, we’ll listen to the report of the Head of that body,” Ararat Mirzoyan said.

The Chairman of the RA State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition Gegham Gevorgyan noted that the year 2019 had been a transit year, the new staff of the Commission was formed and the status of the Commission was changed. After the constitutional amendments, the Commission as a sovereign body with seven members was elected by the parliament for the first time.

By Gegham Gevorgyan’s assessment, the successes registered by the Commission are conditioned by the professional teamwork. There were changes in the structure of the Commission, and they were corresponded with the challenges of the economic competition in the developed world.

The Commission Chairman presented in detail the work done, the problems and the upcoming works.

The RA SCPEC Chairman Gegham Gevorgyan answered to the MPs’ questions concerning the situation in the market of the protective masks, the reasons of the increase in prices of some goods, the number of the sued procedures, the steps being taken by the Commission for the protection of the mental property and the competition in the conditions of digitalization.

The NA Speaker has also considered non understandable the abrupt increase in prices of the masks, noting that if even amid world pandemic the passenger transportation have become few, according to that, the prices have increased, which has an influence on the prices of the raw material. But still he cannot calculate in any way how the price of the masks shall so abruptly become expensive. According to the Head of the Parliament, one shall have a little bright imagination to understand how the price reaches 220 drams. “Not only for an ordinary citizen, but personally for me it is difficult to imagine how the price of this mask can surpass 70, 80 drams,” Ararat Mirzoyan said.

Gegham Gevorgyan gave clarifications on this matter, noting that in December the price of the imported three-ply masks from China was 13 drams, then in April-May it became 116 drams. He underlined that the roads were often closed, and the importing goods were reaching with difficulty.

He informed that lawsuit was filed in the markets of masks and gloves. He has noted that in the marzes the increase in prices are conditioned by the mediators’ emerging.

In their speeches the MPs touched upon the rise of the efficiency of the work organization by the Commission and the improvement of the measures aimed at the public awareness. They positively assessed the work of the Commission in general, indicated the shortcomings and noted the additional steps to be taken especially in the improvement of legislation. Concern was voiced on the increase in prices of some goods.

It was noted that the state patronage of the private sector stopped, and the spine of the economic monopolies was broken. In this context the provision of the fairer competitive field was evaluated through institutional reforms.

In his concluding speech the RA SCPEC Chairman Gegham Gevorgyan related to the MPs’ concerns and presented clarifications.

He emphasized the provision of equal conditions for the entities, which result in the decrease in prices, the proposal of the best version for the consumer and the market activeness.