CPC Clarifies Regarding Naira Zohrabyan's Post

The State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition of Armenia has provided clarification concerning the Facebook post of MP Naira Zohrabyan. The commission states that the draft laws on amendments to the 'Law on Protection of Economic Competition' and related laws were published on May 5, 2020, on the e-draft.am website. The drafts were discussed for more than a month with representatives of interested parties from the public, private, and academic sectors.

Particularly, among other reforms proposed by the draft law, new regulations aimed at ensuring the possibility of free economic activity are suggested. This includes the introduction of a simplified institute for the approval of concentrations and a mechanism for the mitigation of fines. The introduction of modern mechanisms for document management and information collection is expected to lead to substantial reductions in both document turnover and time management. Additionally, the extent of interaction with operators during the proceedings will also be minimized.

Regarding the commission's powers to obtain evidence and conduct inspections, the toolbox is primarily focused on ensuring that small operators can engage in free economic activity in competitive conditions with dominant or monopolistic enterprises. The need for the introduction of these mechanisms has been consistently raised by international organizations, EU and EAEU partners, and experts from the World Bank, as noted in the 2019 report titled 'Investment Policy Review of Armenia' from the UN Conference on Trade and Development, as well as in the memorandum-report prepared by the World Bank Group in 2018, titled 'Assessment of Competition Reforms for Armenia.'

It is worth noting that the commission's president and members addressed the necessity of increasing the CPC's inspection powers in their speeches during the election to the National Assembly. It should be stated that members of the National Assembly, including representatives of the Prosperous Armenia faction, have also addressed this issue and proposed reforms over various years.

Earlier, MP Naira Zohrabyan had stated on her Facebook page: 'Nikol is bringing a disgraceful law to the National Assembly to humiliate and raid business operators. It will operate under a dawn raid provision - an 'unexpected search.' Nikol has descended to a new low in preserving his power through dictatorial laws. Yesterday, as an urgent and non-reportable item on the government's agenda, the new law on 'Protection of Economic Competition' was discussed, allowing unexpected entry into any entrepreneur's organization at any time to raid, seize essential materials, computers, drives, and wiretap business operators' phones. According to industry experts, this will become a disgraceful tool in the hands of the government to suppress all businesses demanding Nikol's resignation. The globally recognized 'dawn raid' will be a serious weapon over entrepreneurs in the days of Nikol's dictatorship. This is how someone who surrendered Artsakh and is giving up positions in Syunik wants to preserve his non-existent authority. You will leave. No matter what you do, what laws you bring, how many people you arrest, what disgusting shows you orchestrate, no matter how many fake profiles you create, you will still go. And I do not envy your expected fate more each day. It will be a cruel scene. Terribly cruel. Dear entrepreneurs, raise your voice against this madness.'