Armenian PM seeks to tax Church if re-elected

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has stated that he intends to impose taxation on the Armenian Apostolic Church if he is re-elected.

The head of government has previously raised similar proposals, Caliber.Az, citing Armenian media.

He said that a system of universal asset declaration was in place in Armenia, and clergy members could not be outside this system, while presenting the election programme of the ruling Civil Contract party.

He added that all taxes collected from the Church would later be returned to it, and that, if necessary, the state would provide additional funding, including in the form of social guarantees.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov