Wednesday, 10 September 2008
The State commission on preparation of events dedicated to the anniversary of the 1988 December 7 earthquake in Armenia met at the Office of Government, presided over by head of commission, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
The course of performance of the commission-approved program of events dedicated to the December 7, 1988 earthquake in Armenia has been discussed. In charge of program implementation, the ministers of culture, urban development, transport and communication, agriculture, as well as Shirak, Lori, Tavush marz governors and the heads of corresponding departments reported that part of the program covering about 50 different actions was completed in late 2008, with other actions being in process in line with the established schedule. In particular, concerning the registration of earthquake-hit homeless households and the development of a housing program for them, it was indicated that a corresponding concept note and an action plan have already been approved. The list of homeless families in Tavush, Shirak, Gyumri and other rural areas in the disaster zone has been specified. 500 million drams out of the 815 millions envisaged under the housing certificate program have already been disbursed in 2008. It was similarly reported that there have been completed a number of activities covering restoration and construction of education centers, roads, bridges, rehabilitation of municipal centers, houses of culture and medical institutions in the settlements of the disaster zone. Works have been carried out for the construction of a house of culture in Stepanavan, refurbishment of a house of culture in Sarnakhpyur community, capital repair of Maralik-Sarnakhpyur road section, construction of a bridge over the River Agstev near Haghartsin village. In the month of May open lessons of literature have been held in the libraries of Lori and Shirak marzes, a folk-dance festival and the Debut contest for young artists were organized in Shirak marz in July last. Lori marz hosted competitions of national games and so on.
For public awareness raising purposes, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan gave instruction on preparation of progress reports to make them available to the public-at-large.
RA Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan was told to discuss and complete with all concerned entities the actions planned for this December, and the stakeholders were urged to submit suggestions. RA Minister of Economy was directed to have prepared by the next commission session an agenda for the business forum on investment incentives to be organized under the program in the disaster zone.
Also, there has been discussed the list of invitees to the earthquake 20th anniversary commemoration events. Head of RA Government Staff Territorial Development and Wildlife Management Department Karen Margaryan was appointed to be in charge of the list.
Summing up the discussion, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said to be pleased as a whole with the pace of planned activity implementation by noting that only some problems of organizational character had been encountered with two of those 50 actions featuring on the program which will have to be clarified by the next commission session.
