KAPAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says oligarchy does not exist in Armenia.

“During January-September 2019 the top 1000 major taxpayers declared 764,5 billion drams in taxes, which is 90,7 billion drams or 13% more compared to 2018’s same period,” the Armenian PM said during the January 25 news conference.

“Compared to 2017 January-September the growth of taxes paid by the major taxpayers totaled 185,5 billion drams or 32%. This is about whether or not there are oligarchs in Armenia. When oligarchs pay their taxes, it means they aren’t privileged. Oligarchy means the power of the few. There isn’t and never will be power of the few in Armenia. There is the power of the many in Armenia, in person of the Armenian people,” Pashinyan said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan