ArmInfo. In Armenia, there is a need to radically change the structure of the country's economy. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan stated this at a government meeting on September 20, commenting on the draft amendments to the Law on Lotteries and a package of related laws submitted by the deputies of the National Assembly.
The Minister of Finance of the Republic of Armenia Atom Janjugazyan, who introduced the draft amendments, noted that RA NA deputies Naira Zohrabyan and Alain Simonyan suggested transferring gambling machines and other gambling, including sweepstakes to strictly defined places - in Tsakhkadzor, Sevan, Dzhermuk and Meghri. In addition, it is proposed to establish the age limit, limit participation in the game of those recognized incompetent, block gambling-site sites in public places and set limits on the repayment in cash. The executive body will also require the provision of financial guarantees to protect the interests of participants in the games. The government considers it expedient to establish a guarantee in the amount of the state duty, namely, 500 million drams. The minister agreed that the innovation could lead to a reduction in the number of casino organizers and win-win games, although he does not see any risks for the state budget taking into account well-documented payments of 500 million drams.
In response, the Prime Minister noted that currently the locomotives of the Armenian economy are agriculture, ore exports and gambling. "The country has become an open air casino, we must break this structure, focusing on the production of high-tech products, the development of information technologies, competitive food and light industry," Nikol Pashinyan said, adding that the current structure of the economy cannot be effective. "This is absurd: on the one hand, we have a 30% poor population, and on the other, gambling is being promoted," he said, calling for a ban on slot machines and gas stations.