Thursday, 20 May 2010
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan’s Opening Address to Government Session
Dear colleagues,
Together with our economic team, we tried to sum up the results of economic development and the efficiency of our anti-crisis action. Our findings caused us to revise macroeconomic forecasts for 2010. It seems to be obvious that our anti-crisis efforts have paid off, and growth is gaining momentum in industry. We should be consistent in this area by concentrating on economic performance of 2011 and deciding what should be done so that the stated rate of growth is maintained in 2011-2012.
For this very reason, we must be consistent in action. Consistency in all our initiatives is extremely important.
This week I visited “Biokat” company which has received AMD 120mn in Operative Staff-brokered financial support. As a result, strong with its 40 staff, the company produces high-quality dairy products buying milk from domestic farmers on a regular basis. In this way, we provide for sustained home milk procurements and, on the other hand, we encourage market competition since the output of “Biokat” was quick to win a well-deserved place on the home market of dairy products. “Biokat” is intent on increasing the number of jobs. Consistency means that as we declared last year, any decision of the Operative Staff must be transparent.
They are posted on the government’s website in an effort to allow the public-at-large to exercise control and oversee public spending. Therefore, we shall report back periodically spending efficiency. We are bound by duty to defy the problems faced and, if we are to be the first in revealing the existing problems, we will have to be outspoken about our own failures and shortcomings.
The second problem is as follows: you may remember that “Miasin” movement addressed us with a proposal a month ago. Their representatives came to the House of Government and handed in a letter with the request of a “clean” homeland. I ordered a task force to be established under the Minister of Nature Protection in order to develop a national program involving all non-governmental organizations. Earlier today the Minister of Nature Protection reported me that the program is complete. Referred to as “Clean Homeland,” the program has already been approved by civil society, and we are going to carry it into effect.
The first in a series of initiatives will kick off this May 29 in Yerevan in cooperation with non-governmental organizations. I feel that all public agencies should joint them in this undertaking. Our Minister of Nature Protection will have detailed information circulated among all government agencies. We will proceed from Yerevan to gradually include the rest of the country. The Clean Homeland program will kick off on May 29, and I would like to ask you all to assist our Minister of Nature Protection in this initiative.
