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ARAVOT: GYUMRI AIRPORT AS INEXPENSIVE HUB
Tert.am
10.04.12
In its April 10 issue, the Aravot daily addressed the book entitled
""Gyumri on the rise" by owner of the Shirak football club
Arman Sahakyan, who is running for parliament in a single-member
constituency.
The recently published book deals with the city's development
prospects.
"Arman Sahakyan, who is among Armenia's ten major taxpayers and is
running for parliament from Gyumri, has the other day published his
book on the city's development prospects, 'Gyumri on the rise'. Citing
statistical data, which show the highest-level poverty and emigration
in the Shirak region, the author cites a number of examples - Essen
(Germany), Ruse (Bulgaria), Kilkenny (Ireland) and others - to show the
ways of saving perishing Gyumri and putting an end to the atmosphere
of dispiritedness and hopelessness in the city."
"Gyumri is not the only city facing such problems as destroyed
economy. It is better to adopt the experience of the cities that
succeeded in resolving them or develop alternative ways, procure
funds. Successful examples can be followed, with, of course, Gyumri's
peculiarities considered," says Mr Sahakyan.
Since the author places emphasis on tax benefits for investments in
the Gyumri textile industry, the newspaper inquired about his view of
capital investments in the city. This risky area is not so attractive
to investors. Is Arman Sahakyan going to make use of his contacts?
"Of course, I will. It is not enough, however. Favorable conditions
need to be created to attract investors. We are talking about textile
industry. Dozens of cities in Eastern Europe have free economic zones
for textile industry development. No businessman will come to Armenia,
to Gyumri, to work in worse conditions than in Bulgaria or Romania.
"That is we have no favorable conditions. Business and charity
are different things, and no western company is going to establish
production here. By favorable conditions I mean a free economic zone
in Gyumri. Developing Gyumri is a most difficult task, but it can be
accomplished with a coherent policy and specific targets set.
"Our task is to understand what kind of city Gyumri will be in ten
or twenty years. Of course, machine tool plants will not be put into
operation there, but we must reconsider ways of achieving our goals,"
Sahakyan says.
His book also deals with the issue of turning the Gyumri airport into
a hub airport. "I cited figures: passenger traffic showed a 1.7-fold
increase in 2011 as compared with 2010. It served 70,000 passengers,
but I consider it a small number. We can turn the Gyumri airport into
an inexpensive hub airport to serve domestic flights and 200,000
to 300,000 passengers, which, of course, will promote the city's
development. The airport is being managed under a concession agreement
and is considered an 'alternative airport.' Our market is getting
more and more liberal, and the airport can be properly operated."
Gyumri has all the preconditions for becoming an economically
developed city.
"They are the Gyumri residents themselves. Traditional education has
always been at a high level in Gyumri. The Gyumri population likes
education, particularly technical sciences. I think that an individual
is the greatest potential," Sahakyan said.
Tourist development may prove profitable in Gyumri, which is one
of the rare cities with its old center and original architecture,
Sahakyan said.
Tert.am
10.04.12
In its April 10 issue, the Aravot daily addressed the book entitled
""Gyumri on the rise" by owner of the Shirak football club
Arman Sahakyan, who is running for parliament in a single-member
constituency.
The recently published book deals with the city's development
prospects.
"Arman Sahakyan, who is among Armenia's ten major taxpayers and is
running for parliament from Gyumri, has the other day published his
book on the city's development prospects, 'Gyumri on the rise'. Citing
statistical data, which show the highest-level poverty and emigration
in the Shirak region, the author cites a number of examples - Essen
(Germany), Ruse (Bulgaria), Kilkenny (Ireland) and others - to show the
ways of saving perishing Gyumri and putting an end to the atmosphere
of dispiritedness and hopelessness in the city."
"Gyumri is not the only city facing such problems as destroyed
economy. It is better to adopt the experience of the cities that
succeeded in resolving them or develop alternative ways, procure
funds. Successful examples can be followed, with, of course, Gyumri's
peculiarities considered," says Mr Sahakyan.
Since the author places emphasis on tax benefits for investments in
the Gyumri textile industry, the newspaper inquired about his view of
capital investments in the city. This risky area is not so attractive
to investors. Is Arman Sahakyan going to make use of his contacts?
"Of course, I will. It is not enough, however. Favorable conditions
need to be created to attract investors. We are talking about textile
industry. Dozens of cities in Eastern Europe have free economic zones
for textile industry development. No businessman will come to Armenia,
to Gyumri, to work in worse conditions than in Bulgaria or Romania.
"That is we have no favorable conditions. Business and charity
are different things, and no western company is going to establish
production here. By favorable conditions I mean a free economic zone
in Gyumri. Developing Gyumri is a most difficult task, but it can be
accomplished with a coherent policy and specific targets set.
"Our task is to understand what kind of city Gyumri will be in ten
or twenty years. Of course, machine tool plants will not be put into
operation there, but we must reconsider ways of achieving our goals,"
Sahakyan says.
His book also deals with the issue of turning the Gyumri airport into
a hub airport. "I cited figures: passenger traffic showed a 1.7-fold
increase in 2011 as compared with 2010. It served 70,000 passengers,
but I consider it a small number. We can turn the Gyumri airport into
an inexpensive hub airport to serve domestic flights and 200,000
to 300,000 passengers, which, of course, will promote the city's
development. The airport is being managed under a concession agreement
and is considered an 'alternative airport.' Our market is getting
more and more liberal, and the airport can be properly operated."
Gyumri has all the preconditions for becoming an economically
developed city.
"They are the Gyumri residents themselves. Traditional education has
always been at a high level in Gyumri. The Gyumri population likes
education, particularly technical sciences. I think that an individual
is the greatest potential," Sahakyan said.
Tourist development may prove profitable in Gyumri, which is one
of the rare cities with its old center and original architecture,
Sahakyan said.