Thursday, 15 July 2010
AMD 1.4bn for road improvement activities
Chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, the Government met in a regular session at the Office of Government.
The Government redistributed the 2010 State budget, modified and amended two previous decisions, allocated AMD 1400000.0 thousand to the Ministry of Transport and Communication for the repair of Shinuhair-Halidzor highway stretch and Talin-Dashtadem interstate road section, as well as a number of incomplete road sections from the MCA-Armenia program. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan noted in this connection that the Government’s additional contribution to road rehabilitation efforts will thereby rise to some AMD 4.5bn covering the cost of such remedy action as may be necessary in the aftermath of floods and other natural disasters.
The Government amended another decree to allocate 30000.0 thousand to the Ministry of Nature Protection for transfer to Environmental Program Center SNCO for procurement and transportation of a Water Master Classic – III special multipurpose digging dredge of Finnish manufacture for effective organization of activities under the Sevan Lakeside Water-Covered Tree Plantations Cleanup Service Program. Those organizations entrusted with this task have so far failed to complete the work as they were short of highly performing equipment.
The Government next called off a number of requirements stipulated in its previous decree concerning the use of cash registers by which taxpayers were supposed to submit to tax inspectorates copies of contracts on cash register maintenance.
The following was approved during the session: the primary medical assistance modernization strategy and timetable, the 2010 estimate of extra-budgetary expenditures under RA Healthcare Ministry’s Healthcare System Reinforcement Program, the timetable of those actions stipulated in the national anti-drug program as assigned to the government under a presidential decree.
The Government endorsed a proposal on two assistance-related agreements to be signed between the Armenian and US governments, one of which seeks to promote a competitive and diversified private sector, with the second one aimed at improving welfare and healthcare services in Armenia.
The Government endorsed a bill on amendments to the law on value added tax exempting natural persons from VAT payments in case of property-denominated investments made in the authorized or shareholders’ capital of legal persons. This is expected to create favorable conditions for economic development. The Government next approved a bill on amendments to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. The stated draft laws will be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration in the manner established by law.
The Government decided to comply with Vardges Hovakimyan’s request and relieved him of the post of Ararat marz governor. Edik Barseghyan was appointed to be governor of Ararat marz. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan congratulated the newly appointed governor and wished him fruitful work.
