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KARAKERT VILLAGERS STILL WAITING FOR ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO FULFILL CAMPAIGN PROMISE
Tatev Khachatryan
11:03, November 18, 2014
In February 2013, when campaigning for reelection as Armenia's
president, Serzh Sargsyan made a stop in the Armavir village of
Karakert and promised to get the main road repaired.
Sargsyan, who was reelected, hasn't kept that promise.
The main road hasn't seen any basic repairs since it was built thirty
years ago.
Before Sargsyan made a campaign stop there in 2013, work crews arrived
and filled the numerous potholes with red grit - a temporary solution
to a chronic problem.
Mayor MherHartenyan told Hetq that the local roads are in bad shape
but that Karakert doesn't have the money to invest in repair and
maintenance.
"I've had the roads cleaned up a bit. That red grit laid down when
the president arrived has been removed. The holed will be filled with
gravel. We'll make do," Hartenyan told Hetq.
This work will cost the community 800,000 AMD (US$1,920).
"Our annual budget is 70 million AMD, but I can only spend 16 million
per year. The rest is earmarked for kindergartens, municipal salaries
and pensions," Mayor Hartenyan told Hetq.
The portion of the M1 highway that passed through Karakert is 2.3
kilometers. To repair this stretch would cost 3.5 times the community's
annual budget.
"Engineers from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications
came and surveyed the area. Theysaid the work would cost 249 million,"
Hartenyan said.
The mayor hasn't contacted any state agency for assistance, saying
they are still waiting for the president to make good on his promise.
Hartenyan claims he's been told in private that it's a question of
funding holding up the road work.
"I believe them because they've done everything else for our village
they've promised," Hartenyan said.
P.S. On November 4, two standing committees of the parliament
(Standing Committee on Economic Affairs and Standing Committee on
Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs) held hearings on the 2015
budget. The Ministry of Transportation has budgeted 4 billion AMD
for primary road repair and renovation as opposed to this year's 13.2
billion. It's still not known if the section of the M1 Highway that
passes through Karakert is earmarked for repair.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/57381/karakert-villagers-still-waiting-for-armenian-president-to-fulfill-campaign-promise.html
Tatev Khachatryan
11:03, November 18, 2014
In February 2013, when campaigning for reelection as Armenia's
president, Serzh Sargsyan made a stop in the Armavir village of
Karakert and promised to get the main road repaired.
Sargsyan, who was reelected, hasn't kept that promise.
The main road hasn't seen any basic repairs since it was built thirty
years ago.
Before Sargsyan made a campaign stop there in 2013, work crews arrived
and filled the numerous potholes with red grit - a temporary solution
to a chronic problem.
Mayor MherHartenyan told Hetq that the local roads are in bad shape
but that Karakert doesn't have the money to invest in repair and
maintenance.
"I've had the roads cleaned up a bit. That red grit laid down when
the president arrived has been removed. The holed will be filled with
gravel. We'll make do," Hartenyan told Hetq.
This work will cost the community 800,000 AMD (US$1,920).
"Our annual budget is 70 million AMD, but I can only spend 16 million
per year. The rest is earmarked for kindergartens, municipal salaries
and pensions," Mayor Hartenyan told Hetq.
The portion of the M1 highway that passed through Karakert is 2.3
kilometers. To repair this stretch would cost 3.5 times the community's
annual budget.
"Engineers from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications
came and surveyed the area. Theysaid the work would cost 249 million,"
Hartenyan said.
The mayor hasn't contacted any state agency for assistance, saying
they are still waiting for the president to make good on his promise.
Hartenyan claims he's been told in private that it's a question of
funding holding up the road work.
"I believe them because they've done everything else for our village
they've promised," Hartenyan said.
P.S. On November 4, two standing committees of the parliament
(Standing Committee on Economic Affairs and Standing Committee on
Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs) held hearings on the 2015
budget. The Ministry of Transportation has budgeted 4 billion AMD
for primary road repair and renovation as opposed to this year's 13.2
billion. It's still not known if the section of the M1 Highway that
passes through Karakert is earmarked for repair.
http://hetq.am/eng/news/57381/karakert-villagers-still-waiting-for-armenian-president-to-fulfill-campaign-promise.html