The Press Office of the RMK President reports that President Bako Shakyan delivered an address at a working meeting of the State Tax Service (STS) in Stepanakert today. In his statement, President Sahakyan noted the important role the STS plays in the development of the republic's economy and the serious quantitative and qualitatice changes that have taken place in the STS. The President pointed out that the total volume of 2008 state budget incomes witnessed an increase of 25.6% over 2007 figures, rising to some 17.2 billion drams. President Sahakyan noted, "And this is taking place against the background of the current global financial crisis due to which the biggest taxpayer of our republic, the “Base Metals” CJSC, has reduced its industrial production volumes thus depriving state budget of 1.6 billion dram fund inflow. The RMK head of state went on to say that the process of tax collection should not be an obstacle for entrepreneurial activities, especially for the development of small and medium size business. President Sahakyan concluded, "This can be achieved only by creating equal conditions for all business entities thus providing entrepreneurs an opportunity to develop and enlarge their business and direct resources to solve different social problems.In this regard I consider necessary to further improve tax legislation and carry out measures that will result in increasing the volume of foreign and domestic investments."