Armenia’s state budget has, for the first time, received a 33-billion dram dividend from the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC), Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced during a press conference.
He noted that since 2021, the Armenian government – meaning the people – had been a shareholder in ZCMC, with its stake valued at several tens of billions of drams.
“I presented a statistics in 2023, stating that in 2022, ZCMC paid more in taxes than it did in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 combined – 7 billion drams more, to be exact. The total amount was 124 billion drams,” the Prime Minister noted.
Pashinyan also revealed that in 2023, ZCMC became Armenia’s largest taxpayer, paying 94 billion drams in taxes. Additionally, for the first time, the state budget received a 33-billion dram dividend as a shareholder.
“More importantly, we have established a legitimate legislative system that will remain in place until all issues are resolved. This system will continue to operate indefinitely. Anyone who steals from the people must know that, sooner or later, the day will come when what was taken will be returned,” Pashinyan stated. (PanARMENIAN)