Tuesday, 23 June 2009
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan today traveled to Lori marz and visited Vanadzor-Khimprom CJSC. The Prime Minister walked round the shops and learned of the status of those arrangements reached during his latest visit.
Tigran Sargsyan called at the thermal plant and the chemical unit of the company where he got acquainted with the already implemented projects. Attended by the Chief of Government Staff, the Ministers of Agriculture, Energy and Natural Resources, the Lori marz governor, several entrepreneurs and the director general of the chemical plant, a consultative meeting was held to discuss a re-commissioning- and strategy-related agenda.
During the meeting, a number of new arrangements were made according to which the Ministry of Agriculture should develop a complex program of manufacture of fertilizers. The Vanadzor chemical complex was said to be able to produce badly needed fertilizers for domestic farmers. The implementation of this program will allow development planning on the basis of fertilizers of Armenian manufacture. The factory is set the task of working out a four-sided complex program covering the production of fertilizers, building materials, carbide and other key export-oriented substances: “We must have complex programs designed for all of these directions, with clear-cut financial flows profit margins. Any such program should be approved by the Government. Of course, this will help build confidence among the owners of the factory, and they will realize development-targeted investments ruling out the need for borrowed funds. Today the factory faces financial problems, it has accumulated wage and property tax arrears, therefore it will have to run on full capacity to make earnings,” Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said.
The range of building materials produced in the plant will be used in the disaster zone, and the new shop under construction will have an important capacity. The head of the government stressed that corresponding arrangements have been made with contractors urging them to turn to the plant for building materials.
As far as fertilizers are concerned, efforts are sufficiently advanced in this direction and the production lines will be operational as early as by the end of this year. According to the Prime Minister, the plant needs USD 6 million in additional investment in order to be profitable.
Tigran Sargsyan emphasized that the government will possibly assist the Vanadzor chemical plant with new sales markets and enhanced competitiveness.
In conclusion, the Prime Minister issued specific assignments aimed at prompt and effective resolution of the existing problems.
