Armenian minister says Carrefour arrival will cut prices of many goods
YEREVAN, February 14. / ARKA /. Armenia's economy minister Tigran
Davtian echoed today arguments backing the arrival of the French chain
of hypermarkets Carrefour to Armenia saying it will make other
companies cut the prices of some of their products and services.
`Carrefour is not only business, but also a culture and the Armenian
government is interested in its arrival to our country. We are trying
to make it happen as quick as possible," he said.
Davtian said the government is interested in bringing multinational
companies to Armenia, and has earmarked 40 million drams this year for
negotiating with them. He said also that the delay in the company's
arrival in Armenia is linked to disagreements between private actors.
Earlier, a local daily `Zhamanak" (Time), claimed citing its own
sources that a Russia-based Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetian,
the owner of Dalma Garden Mall in Yerevan, suspended a contract with
Carrefour. The newspaper alleged that the decision was taken under the
pressure from Armenian oligarch Samvel Alexanian who controls the bulk
of imports of essential goods.
In response to these allegations, prime minister Tigran Sargsyan said
the Armenian government will do everything possible to ensure the
arrival of the French company in Armenia because `the government is
interested in it.' The prime minister declined reports that Samvel
Karapetian suspended the contract with Carrefour saying what the two
sides had signed is a memorandum of intent, not a contract.
French Carrefour SA is the second largest retailer in the world after
the U.S. Wal-Mart. It was founded in 1957 by opening its first store
in the eastern France. In 1963, the company opened near Paris the
world's first hypermarket. Carrefour owns 15,100 stores in Europe,
Brazil, Argentina, North Africa and Asia, working under different
brands, employing a total of 400 thousand people. Its net revenue in
2011 amounted to 371 million euros. ($ 1 - 406.74 drams). -0-
From: Baghdasarian
YEREVAN, February 14. / ARKA /. Armenia's economy minister Tigran
Davtian echoed today arguments backing the arrival of the French chain
of hypermarkets Carrefour to Armenia saying it will make other
companies cut the prices of some of their products and services.
`Carrefour is not only business, but also a culture and the Armenian
government is interested in its arrival to our country. We are trying
to make it happen as quick as possible," he said.
Davtian said the government is interested in bringing multinational
companies to Armenia, and has earmarked 40 million drams this year for
negotiating with them. He said also that the delay in the company's
arrival in Armenia is linked to disagreements between private actors.
Earlier, a local daily `Zhamanak" (Time), claimed citing its own
sources that a Russia-based Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetian,
the owner of Dalma Garden Mall in Yerevan, suspended a contract with
Carrefour. The newspaper alleged that the decision was taken under the
pressure from Armenian oligarch Samvel Alexanian who controls the bulk
of imports of essential goods.
In response to these allegations, prime minister Tigran Sargsyan said
the Armenian government will do everything possible to ensure the
arrival of the French company in Armenia because `the government is
interested in it.' The prime minister declined reports that Samvel
Karapetian suspended the contract with Carrefour saying what the two
sides had signed is a memorandum of intent, not a contract.
French Carrefour SA is the second largest retailer in the world after
the U.S. Wal-Mart. It was founded in 1957 by opening its first store
in the eastern France. In 1963, the company opened near Paris the
world's first hypermarket. Carrefour owns 15,100 stores in Europe,
Brazil, Argentina, North Africa and Asia, working under different
brands, employing a total of 400 thousand people. Its net revenue in
2011 amounted to 371 million euros. ($ 1 - 406.74 drams). -0-
From: Baghdasarian