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PRESIDENT SARGSYAN VISITS SYUNIK MARZ
armradio.am
01.04.2009 11:16
President Serzh Sargsyan conducted a working visit to Syunik marz.
First, the President of Armenia visited the copper and molybdenum
producing factory in Kajaran. Serzh Sargsyan familiarized with the
work of the factory and had a brief meeting with the workers in the
production units, President's Press Office reported.
At the Erablur pantheon in Kapan, the President of Armenia laid wreaths
at the Memorial for those who perished in World War II and at the cross
stone in the memory of those missing in action since the Artshakh war.
Afterwards, President Sargsyan conducted a working meeting at the
administrative center of the marz. At the meeting discussed were issues
related to the activities of the mining industry in the region under
the ongoing economic and financial crisis, future actions to be taken
in that area, the current social and economic situation in Syunik,
and some related priority issues.
In his opening remarks the President of Armenia said, "I started my
visit from the Kajaran copper and molybdenum producing factory and
we saw first hand that the factory is not only fully operational but
is also implementing the development projects. I am well familiar
with the situation at the Agarak and Kapan factories. My assessment
is clear-cut: the current state of the Agarak and Kapan factories
results from tenacious and efficient work o f their owners and the
management of the factories. I have no doubt that some tough decisions
have been made.
My conclusion is also clear-cut: these three major enterprises can and
must operate. They must operate even if the profit approaches zero,
with the understanding that they are not only solving important social
problem but are working toward the future returns. I am confident
that had the Kajaran factory not functioned in difficult conditions
in late 1990s - early 2000s, it would not have been profitable in
the last five or six years.
Enterprises should work, and with this regard if the Government
of Armenia is expected to do more we are ready to discuss these
issues. About the crisis in general: in recent months we have been
able to solve a number of problems and from now on we will not stumble
over any difficulty.
The global crisis dramatically reduced the prices of copper and
molybdenum: in just a couple of months they fell 3-3.5 times. Not only
these enterprises have found themselves in a difficult situation,
since everybody knows that a big chunk of our exports is directly
related to the work of these factories, but also problems have arisen
in the areas of revenues and tax collection.
The Government has been working constantly with the leading
enterprises of the industry to create opportunities to overcome the
difficulties and in some cases it is implementing the assistance prog
rams with diversified approaches to the issue. We are confident that
the Government's assistance, comebacks which are in the area of the
Government's competence, must be swift. In private sector-government
cooperation we must be able to solve state as well as regional
problems.
Obviously, it was not possible to provide every regional or state
enterprise with similar solutions which would allow to work with no
interruptions in these extremely unfavorable conditions. However, I
believe that we have reached a stage when we should think about the
functioning of not only these three particular factories but about
the continuous functioning of many of our enterprises.
Besides, the recent depreciation of the national currency and positive
tendencies with regard to the international prices for metals create
somewhat favorable conditions. We should take advantage of these
cooperatively good and somewhat favorable conditions."
The President of Armenia tasked the relevant regional structures
with one precise assignment and noted "there will no reductions in
wages, pensions, or social benefits, and there will be no problems
with delivering them to the people on time. No matter what, the
wages of the teachers, policemen, and workers must be paid in time,
and any delay will be considered by us as bad work. The state budget
allocates the money and it must be delivered in time. Currently it
is the most important task.E2
At the meeting the Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Territorial
Administration Armen Gevorkian and the Head of Syunik regional
administration Surik Khatchatian presented the social and economic
situation in the region and the most inclusive issues.
armradio.am
01.04.2009 11:16
President Serzh Sargsyan conducted a working visit to Syunik marz.
First, the President of Armenia visited the copper and molybdenum
producing factory in Kajaran. Serzh Sargsyan familiarized with the
work of the factory and had a brief meeting with the workers in the
production units, President's Press Office reported.
At the Erablur pantheon in Kapan, the President of Armenia laid wreaths
at the Memorial for those who perished in World War II and at the cross
stone in the memory of those missing in action since the Artshakh war.
Afterwards, President Sargsyan conducted a working meeting at the
administrative center of the marz. At the meeting discussed were issues
related to the activities of the mining industry in the region under
the ongoing economic and financial crisis, future actions to be taken
in that area, the current social and economic situation in Syunik,
and some related priority issues.
In his opening remarks the President of Armenia said, "I started my
visit from the Kajaran copper and molybdenum producing factory and
we saw first hand that the factory is not only fully operational but
is also implementing the development projects. I am well familiar
with the situation at the Agarak and Kapan factories. My assessment
is clear-cut: the current state of the Agarak and Kapan factories
results from tenacious and efficient work o f their owners and the
management of the factories. I have no doubt that some tough decisions
have been made.
My conclusion is also clear-cut: these three major enterprises can and
must operate. They must operate even if the profit approaches zero,
with the understanding that they are not only solving important social
problem but are working toward the future returns. I am confident
that had the Kajaran factory not functioned in difficult conditions
in late 1990s - early 2000s, it would not have been profitable in
the last five or six years.
Enterprises should work, and with this regard if the Government
of Armenia is expected to do more we are ready to discuss these
issues. About the crisis in general: in recent months we have been
able to solve a number of problems and from now on we will not stumble
over any difficulty.
The global crisis dramatically reduced the prices of copper and
molybdenum: in just a couple of months they fell 3-3.5 times. Not only
these enterprises have found themselves in a difficult situation,
since everybody knows that a big chunk of our exports is directly
related to the work of these factories, but also problems have arisen
in the areas of revenues and tax collection.
The Government has been working constantly with the leading
enterprises of the industry to create opportunities to overcome the
difficulties and in some cases it is implementing the assistance prog
rams with diversified approaches to the issue. We are confident that
the Government's assistance, comebacks which are in the area of the
Government's competence, must be swift. In private sector-government
cooperation we must be able to solve state as well as regional
problems.
Obviously, it was not possible to provide every regional or state
enterprise with similar solutions which would allow to work with no
interruptions in these extremely unfavorable conditions. However, I
believe that we have reached a stage when we should think about the
functioning of not only these three particular factories but about
the continuous functioning of many of our enterprises.
Besides, the recent depreciation of the national currency and positive
tendencies with regard to the international prices for metals create
somewhat favorable conditions. We should take advantage of these
cooperatively good and somewhat favorable conditions."
The President of Armenia tasked the relevant regional structures
with one precise assignment and noted "there will no reductions in
wages, pensions, or social benefits, and there will be no problems
with delivering them to the people on time. No matter what, the
wages of the teachers, policemen, and workers must be paid in time,
and any delay will be considered by us as bad work. The state budget
allocates the money and it must be delivered in time. Currently it
is the most important task.E2
At the meeting the Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Territorial
Administration Armen Gevorkian and the Head of Syunik regional
administration Surik Khatchatian presented the social and economic
situation in the region and the most inclusive issues.