YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Tax revenues of the RA state budget made more than 275 billion drams (about 894.1 mln USD) in the first six months of 2008, which ensured 105.1% fulfilment of the six months' program and 47.3% fulfilment of the annual program. Tax revenues grew by 34.9% or 71.9 billion drams as compared with the same period of 2007. High growth rates were recorded with respect to almost all types of taxes (except for simplified tax). According to data of the press service of the RA ministry of finance, value added tax (VAT) revenues made over 141.6 bln drams in January-June 2008, which made up 51.5% of all tax revenues. Out of the indicated sum, 88.4 bln drams was received from taxation on the borders of Armenia, and 53.2 bln drams - from taxation of the domestic turnover of goods and services. VAT revenues of the state budget increased by 46.3% or nearly 44.8 bln drams on the same period of last year. Sums from taxation of both imports and domestic turnover increased. Excise tax revenues amounted to 20.9 bln drams in the first half of 2008, which accounted for 7.6% of the total amount of tax revenues. In particular, about 14.2 bln drams was received from taxation of excise tax liable goods imported into Armenia, including 6.3 bln drams from taxation of gasoline and diesel fuel and 5.8 bln drams from taxation of cigarettes. State bidgetary revenues from taxation of excise tax liable goods made in Armenia amounted to 6.7 bln drams, including about 3 bln drams from taxation of domestically made cigarettes. Excise tax revenues grew by 16.9% or over 3 bln drams as compared with the same period of 2007, which was mainly due to the increase in revenies from the import of gasoline and cigarettes and sale of domestically made cigarettes. A growth in excise tax revenues was also recorded with respect to imported and domestically made alcoholic drinks.

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