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MP BAGRATYAN: "LET'S NOT FROTH AT THE MOUTH IN THE EXPECTATION THAT WE WILL ATTRACT FOREIGN TEACHERS"
Grisha Balasanyan
A bill that would grant certain tax breaks and customs privileges
related to a government project to build an international school in
the Armenian resort town of Dilijan, remains a topic of heated debate
in parliament.
The $550 million project, of which a mere $20 million has been invested
to date, is planned to house 600 students at a school the government
claims would be operated to international standards.
$150 million would go to the actual building of the school and the
remaining $400 million to its operation and future maintenance.
HAK MP Hrand Bagratyan today said that he was opposed to the bill.
"The government wants money but they don't say why. There is no
project," Bagratyan said, adding that $80 million has already been
given. "The impression being created that we are dealing with something
akin to the end of the world."
"Let's not froth at the mouth in the expectation that we will attract
foreign teachers," Bagratyan mocked.
Parliament President Hovik Abrahamyan addressed the MPs and supported
the bill in principle, nevertheless warning that the tax breaks should
not be fraudulently used. He said there was the possibility that the
financing could be used to purchase more material than planned for
and that the excess would then be resold.
Yearly tuitions at the school would be in the $30,000 range.
Despite such an exorbitant cost, the government says most of the
students will be Armenian citizens.
Many opposition MPs have questioned the economic benefits of such a
costly project and that the best and brightest students of Armenia
will leave the country upon graduating.
The bulk of the financing will come from foreign investors.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/27286/mp-bagratyan-%E2%80%9Clet%E2%80%99s-not-froth-at-the-mouth-in-the-expectation-that-we-will-attract-foreign-teachers.html
Grisha Balasanyan
A bill that would grant certain tax breaks and customs privileges
related to a government project to build an international school in
the Armenian resort town of Dilijan, remains a topic of heated debate
in parliament.
The $550 million project, of which a mere $20 million has been invested
to date, is planned to house 600 students at a school the government
claims would be operated to international standards.
$150 million would go to the actual building of the school and the
remaining $400 million to its operation and future maintenance.
HAK MP Hrand Bagratyan today said that he was opposed to the bill.
"The government wants money but they don't say why. There is no
project," Bagratyan said, adding that $80 million has already been
given. "The impression being created that we are dealing with something
akin to the end of the world."
"Let's not froth at the mouth in the expectation that we will attract
foreign teachers," Bagratyan mocked.
Parliament President Hovik Abrahamyan addressed the MPs and supported
the bill in principle, nevertheless warning that the tax breaks should
not be fraudulently used. He said there was the possibility that the
financing could be used to purchase more material than planned for
and that the excess would then be resold.
Yearly tuitions at the school would be in the $30,000 range.
Despite such an exorbitant cost, the government says most of the
students will be Armenian citizens.
Many opposition MPs have questioned the economic benefits of such a
costly project and that the best and brightest students of Armenia
will leave the country upon graduating.
The bulk of the financing will come from foreign investors.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/27286/mp-bagratyan-%E2%80%9Clet%E2%80%99s-not-froth-at-the-mouth-in-the-expectation-that-we-will-attract-foreign-teachers.html