At the Parliament's meeting on March 26 National Assembly deputy Nikol Pashinyan subjected to harsh criticism the activities of the State commission for the protection of the economic competition led by Artak Shaboyan. In his rather harsh statement the oppositionist-deputy said that Shaboyan's led Commission's functions were not to provide economic competition in Armenia, but to protect the interests of monopolists and "the business-quota set by Serzh Sargsyan".
According to Pashinyan, businessman and Republican Party deputy Samvel Aleksanyan, who imports sugar to Armenia, sells the mentioned product for 369 AMD per kilo in his Yerevan City supermarkets. However, he supplies small and medium-sized shops with sugar at the same price. "This is nothing more than monopoly abuse", he said.
He mentioned that long-term negotiations between the Armenian authorities, Samvel Aleksanyan and Carrefour adminitration on price policy was the reason for French Carrefour's delayed introduction to the Armenian market. "Carrefour sells sugar at the same price as Aleksanyan does. How come? It is easy to explain - the Armenian side made accommodations with the French one on preferential sugar prices with the condition that Carrefour would not be importing sugar", said Pashinyan.
He mentioned that Shaboyan would not be tackling that issue, he would not even dare think in that direction; otherwise he would be removed from his office. According to Pashinyan, he has nothing to discuss with Shaboyan, for the latter is just a tool in the government's pocket.