If property tax is also a heavy burden in the suburbs, where should people go, to leave the country or rent? - Ruslan Baghdasaryan

Former Davtashen district head Ruslan Baghdasaryan writes on his Facebook page: “The flash mob initiated by native Yerevan residents, which started yesterday, demonstrates our citizens' dissatisfaction with the increase in property tax. I have elaborated on this issue several times in my interviews, discussing both the absurdity of the timing and the method of implementation.

For many of our fellow citizens, it is unclear what relation the increase in property tax has with being a native resident of Yerevan. I believe it is already clear to everyone that the properties in the center of Yerevan will increase the most. And since the authorities circulated a thesis that if someone living in the center cannot afford to pay their high property tax, they should sell their property and move to the suburbs to buy a more affordable apartment, those circulating this thesis have not said: if the property tax in the suburbs is also a heavy burden for citizens, then where should people go? Should they leave the country, or rent somewhere? In other words, they are forcing people to relocate for the sake of money.

This issue concerns all settlements. This dissatisfaction is also present among native residents of Vanadzor, Gyumri, Jermuk, and generally among all citizens of our state. However, our compatriots living in the center of Yerevan will bear the brunt of this situation.

P.S. To this government: Do you perhaps expect gratitude for having increased the cadastral value assessment by 25-30 times last year, and now, under this law, the increase becomes 8-15 times?”