YEREVAN, February 2. / ARKA /. All the 21 commercial banks in Armenia were among the 1000 largest corporate taxpayers last year, having paid a total of 37.5 billion drams in various taxes, up from 37.1 billion drams they had paid in 2013, according to the State Revenue Committee (SRC)

The SRC said more than 37.2 billion drams were collected by tax authorities and about 345.8 million drams by customs authorities.

Of the total amount some 34.9 billion drams were collected as direct taxes (income and profit taxes) and about 1.9 billion drams as indirect taxes (including VAT and excise taxes). Also 563.3 million drams were collected as other taxes, duties and mandatory payments.

The 21 banks accounted for 5.3 percent of the total amount of taxes paid by the 1000 largest taxpayers last year.

The list of the five largest banks by size of paid taxes was toped by ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK -about 4.3 billion drams (21st largest taxpayer), Ameriabank - 4.2 billion drams(22nd), VTB Bank (Armenia) - about 4.1 billion drams (26th), HSBC Bank Armenia - 4 billion drams(28th, Ardshinbank -3.2 billion drams (38th).

The list of the first 100 largest taxpayers included Inecobank - 2.4 billion drams (52nd), Unibank - 2.2 billion drams (57th), Armbusinessbank - 2.1 billion drams (64th), Araratbank – 1.67 billion drams (80th), Conversebank - 1.5 billion drams (88th) and Armeconombank - 1.46 billion drams (90th).

Overall the 1000 largest taxpayers paid in 2014 a total of 700.5 billion drams in various taxes, up from 665 billion drams paid in 2013 (an increase of 5.3%). The list was topped by Gazprom Armenia natural gas distributing company with 42.8 billion drams. ($ 1 - 476.64 drams). -