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MICHAEL MELKUMYAN. ROBERT KOCHARYAN HAD FOUND THE KEY
January 14 2014
"Prosperous Armenia" faction MP, Michael Melkumyan, believes that
Robert Kocharyan's arguments, particularly, with regard to construction
related issues, are reasonable. "In 2000-2008, the formula of economic
development was found and it was the construction, which, in its turn,
develops other sectors." To be more specific, our interlocutor brings
figures that in 2008 there were about 840 billion drams building
capacity, whereas now it is less than 400 billion drams. That is more
than the construction volume went down more than twice, which means
that the investment environment is not favorable.
"And construction means production of building materials, operation
of transport sector, architecture, design works, and work of
professionals. In those times, about 170 thousand people were
employed. In other words, in this sense, to be based on the concept
that there is a construction bubble in the world, which means a bubble
of pledged asset and mortgage asset, I would not agree for Armenia.
Yes, there is such thing in the world, but it is not typical to
Armenia, because the money invested in construction sector in Armenia
was exclusively based on mortgage, there were also others," said
Michael Melkumyan. Such reverses of the PAP MP refer to clarifications
made the Prime Minister of Armenia, Tigran Sargsyan, to the criticism
presented by Robert Kocharyan at the end of last year. The Prime
Minister's clarifications were followed by Robert Kocharyan's response,
which contained references to the mandatory funded pension system,
and the gas agreement signed with Russia. The PAP MP said that in the
parliamentary debates PAP has repeatedly said that the reform does
not inspire confidence. The examples of Slovakia, Argentina and other
countries were brought in, which, in pretty short period of time,
refused the system as a result of political turmoil, by returned
the money to beneficiaries. "I think it's pretty risky, because if
we are collecting money today to develop financial intermediation,
then to provide appropriate money, the money should be invested in
the place where the economic growth is higher than in Armenia. In
other words, most of these funds will flow out for sure and the five
per cent is a huge burden on the citizen and the state budget." As
for the gas agreements, Michael Melkumyan especially signifies the
provision of monopoly to Russia until the year of 2043, by selling
"ARG" company, even taking into account the outstanding contributions
of Gasprom related to the fifth power block under the Iran-Armenia
gas projects. Our interlocutor compares this monopoly license with
"ArmenTel" monopoly license, when, in 1998, 25 -year monopoly was
provided to "ArmenTel", the results of which we have experienced on
our skin, including with regard to the technical development of the
economy. Concluding his speech, our interlocutor notes that speaking
about the construction as one of the main obstacles of the crisis,
refers a question to current Prime Minister: "Who was obstructing,
let them diversify during the five years. And, now, do we have a more
diversified economy? I think, no. In the case when 43 per cent of our
export products are mining: xero-molybdenum and copper concentrate."
Regarding the development of information technology, which the MP
welcomes, at the same time proves that there are total of six thousand
people working there, and a massive growth in this sector has not
been increasingly felt. Michael Melkumyan reminds that the PAP has
introduced more than twenty initiatives, some of which are related
to the industrial policy, in particular, to the establishment of free
industrial zones in marzes. PAP finds that the development of marzes
is one of the ways to stop Armenians leaving the country. "I considers
the questions of the second president appropriate, grounded, he, as
the head of the country, in his tenure, had found the key. I'm not
saying that the construction would develop forever, but it should be
followed by other steps that were left unfinished." Robert Kocharyan's
conclusion to Tigran Sargsyan that "he is hopeless," Michael Melkumyan
considers that it is up to them. "I am not interfering in these
assessments."
Nelly Grigoryan
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/01/14/163315/
January 14 2014
"Prosperous Armenia" faction MP, Michael Melkumyan, believes that
Robert Kocharyan's arguments, particularly, with regard to construction
related issues, are reasonable. "In 2000-2008, the formula of economic
development was found and it was the construction, which, in its turn,
develops other sectors." To be more specific, our interlocutor brings
figures that in 2008 there were about 840 billion drams building
capacity, whereas now it is less than 400 billion drams. That is more
than the construction volume went down more than twice, which means
that the investment environment is not favorable.
"And construction means production of building materials, operation
of transport sector, architecture, design works, and work of
professionals. In those times, about 170 thousand people were
employed. In other words, in this sense, to be based on the concept
that there is a construction bubble in the world, which means a bubble
of pledged asset and mortgage asset, I would not agree for Armenia.
Yes, there is such thing in the world, but it is not typical to
Armenia, because the money invested in construction sector in Armenia
was exclusively based on mortgage, there were also others," said
Michael Melkumyan. Such reverses of the PAP MP refer to clarifications
made the Prime Minister of Armenia, Tigran Sargsyan, to the criticism
presented by Robert Kocharyan at the end of last year. The Prime
Minister's clarifications were followed by Robert Kocharyan's response,
which contained references to the mandatory funded pension system,
and the gas agreement signed with Russia. The PAP MP said that in the
parliamentary debates PAP has repeatedly said that the reform does
not inspire confidence. The examples of Slovakia, Argentina and other
countries were brought in, which, in pretty short period of time,
refused the system as a result of political turmoil, by returned
the money to beneficiaries. "I think it's pretty risky, because if
we are collecting money today to develop financial intermediation,
then to provide appropriate money, the money should be invested in
the place where the economic growth is higher than in Armenia. In
other words, most of these funds will flow out for sure and the five
per cent is a huge burden on the citizen and the state budget." As
for the gas agreements, Michael Melkumyan especially signifies the
provision of monopoly to Russia until the year of 2043, by selling
"ARG" company, even taking into account the outstanding contributions
of Gasprom related to the fifth power block under the Iran-Armenia
gas projects. Our interlocutor compares this monopoly license with
"ArmenTel" monopoly license, when, in 1998, 25 -year monopoly was
provided to "ArmenTel", the results of which we have experienced on
our skin, including with regard to the technical development of the
economy. Concluding his speech, our interlocutor notes that speaking
about the construction as one of the main obstacles of the crisis,
refers a question to current Prime Minister: "Who was obstructing,
let them diversify during the five years. And, now, do we have a more
diversified economy? I think, no. In the case when 43 per cent of our
export products are mining: xero-molybdenum and copper concentrate."
Regarding the development of information technology, which the MP
welcomes, at the same time proves that there are total of six thousand
people working there, and a massive growth in this sector has not
been increasingly felt. Michael Melkumyan reminds that the PAP has
introduced more than twenty initiatives, some of which are related
to the industrial policy, in particular, to the establishment of free
industrial zones in marzes. PAP finds that the development of marzes
is one of the ways to stop Armenians leaving the country. "I considers
the questions of the second president appropriate, grounded, he, as
the head of the country, in his tenure, had found the key. I'm not
saying that the construction would develop forever, but it should be
followed by other steps that were left unfinished." Robert Kocharyan's
conclusion to Tigran Sargsyan that "he is hopeless," Michael Melkumyan
considers that it is up to them. "I am not interfering in these
assessments."
Nelly Grigoryan
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/01/14/163315/