FIRST 8 MILLION EURO TRANCHE OF EUROPEAN UNION GRANT WILL ARRIVE IN EARLY 2013: ECONOMY MINISTER
/ARKA/
July 23, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, July 23. /ARKA/. The first 8 million euro tranche of a 15
million European Union's grant designed for Armenia to help it prepare
for the signing of the agreement on deep and comprehensive free trade
area will arrive in early 2013, economy minister Tigran Davtyan told
a news conference today. He said the funds will be allocated in three
tranches over the next 1-1.5 years.
"The funding will be provided on the basis of 'more for more', that
is - more money for bigger results. The grant is provided to Armenia
because we have justified all of EU's expectations, and, in their
estimation, we have done even more than planned," he stressed.
Earlier, the minister brushed aside rumors that the EU cut off
funding for Armenia, saying quite the contrary, the EU has increased
the amount.
European Council president Herman Van Rompuy said during a visit to
Armenia that the country was on the right track, but much remains to be
done in the future. According to Rompuy, the EU stands ready to assist
Armenia in the promotion of shared values. He said the EU appreciates
Armenia's efforts to comply with European norms and standards.
"We urge Armenia to continue its way to strengthen democratic
institutions, eliminate corruption, improve respect for human rights
and freedom of speech" said Rompuy.
In an earlier interview with the Radio Liberty, Peter Stano,
a spokesman for EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European
Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Stefan Fule, said that "the European Union
has postponed the promised Armenia donor conference , which was to
discuss the issue of providing financial assistance to Armenia. He
said the May 6 parliamentary polls fell short of EU's expectations and
now Brussels is waiting for the presidential election of 2013. "
From: Baghdasarian
/ARKA/
July 23, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, July 23. /ARKA/. The first 8 million euro tranche of a 15
million European Union's grant designed for Armenia to help it prepare
for the signing of the agreement on deep and comprehensive free trade
area will arrive in early 2013, economy minister Tigran Davtyan told
a news conference today. He said the funds will be allocated in three
tranches over the next 1-1.5 years.
"The funding will be provided on the basis of 'more for more', that
is - more money for bigger results. The grant is provided to Armenia
because we have justified all of EU's expectations, and, in their
estimation, we have done even more than planned," he stressed.
Earlier, the minister brushed aside rumors that the EU cut off
funding for Armenia, saying quite the contrary, the EU has increased
the amount.
European Council president Herman Van Rompuy said during a visit to
Armenia that the country was on the right track, but much remains to be
done in the future. According to Rompuy, the EU stands ready to assist
Armenia in the promotion of shared values. He said the EU appreciates
Armenia's efforts to comply with European norms and standards.
"We urge Armenia to continue its way to strengthen democratic
institutions, eliminate corruption, improve respect for human rights
and freedom of speech" said Rompuy.
In an earlier interview with the Radio Liberty, Peter Stano,
a spokesman for EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European
Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Stefan Fule, said that "the European Union
has postponed the promised Armenia donor conference , which was to
discuss the issue of providing financial assistance to Armenia. He
said the May 6 parliamentary polls fell short of EU's expectations and
now Brussels is waiting for the presidential election of 2013. "
From: Baghdasarian