Friday, 25 September 2015
Grapes Harvesting Process in Focus
A Cabinet sitting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.
To begin with, the Premier asked the Minister of Agriculture about the grapes procurement process. Noting that the campaign was launched as early as on September 7, Minister Sergo Karapetyan stated in part, “Of course, there are some difficulties. For obvious reasons, associated with the reduction in exports early this year, winemakers were unable to ensure adequate financial flows.
It should also be noted that containers in some organizations are full, while everyone believes that the crop should be purchased entirely, and no grapes will be left in the field. Our estimates have shown that we have even 30 percent more grapes this year as compared to last year. Supply overwhelms demand, but we can defy the challenge with your assistance and will be able to solve the problem.
“I am asking you to make consistent efforts: we are ready to assist you with your task,” the Prime Minister said. Note that the harvesting process is also monitored by the Prime Minister’s Control Service.
The meeting decided that those first-year university students ranked higher than the vulnerability threshold will get partial tuition compensation in the form of scholarship allowances from the Government, if they produce appropriate documentation.
Referring to the resolution adopted, Hovik Abrahamyan said, “Dear colleagues, we are actually taking a very important decision, which provides that every year about 350 first-year students nationwide will have the opportunity to get higher education with State support. I would like to emphasize that this decision is part of our overall policy, which has the ultimate goal to provide access to higher education for our best students.
To this end, we have enacted system of tuition fee discounts for students from the most disadvantaged families. The law sets a minimum level of discount funds in universities. We have also enacted a system of preferential student loans.
We have implemented a program of State support for the second-year students eligible under Paros welfare program with high academic performance. Owing to this decision, government assistance will be available as early as in the first year of studies, which is very important since some 350 students will be benefiting from this privilege.”
The Government approved a bill on amendments to the law on taxes. The draft law offers the owners of tourist homes engaged in hospitality services the possibility of being registered as subjects of family entrepreneurship. The decisions passed at today’s meeting will be submitted to the National Assembly in the manner established by law.
In conclusion, the meeting approved the Government’s anti-corruption strategy and the program of activities for 2015-2018.
