Updates
Domestic visits
29
04, 2009
President Serzh Sargsyan’s working visit to Gegharkunik
On April 29, President Serzh Sargsyan conducted a working visit to Gegharkunik marz.
The President of Armenia observed areas, which have submerged as a result of the rising levels of Lake Sevan, and unauthorized installations and structures built at the shores of the Lake. A short discussion was held regarding the most urgent issues.
Later, the President of Armenia discussed the social and economic issues of the marz with the Head of local administration Nver Poghosian at the administrative office of the marz.
Mr. Poghosian informed the President on the preparatory spring agricultural works and other social and economic issues of the marz. Serzh Sargsyan gave concreted instructions to the administration of the marz.
At the administrative office of the marz, President Serzh Sargsyan conducted a working meeting with the participation of the Ministers of Environment protection, Transportation and Communications, Head of Gegharkunik administration.
In his opening remarks the President of Armenia said in particular “As we agreed last December, we are conducting a regular meeting of the Commission on Sevan issues here, at the shores of Sevan.
Sevan’s problems, complicated and neglected for decades, require our constant work and I think it is important not to despair and have a clear vision of where we are going, since in many instances these problems just don’t have plain solutions.
The results of our work may show only years later. When I say not to despair, I mean that a very important moving force is constantly present – our love for Sevan and our responsibility before future generations. We own Sevan a lot. We must return to Sevan what for many years, starting from the Soviet times, have been taken profusely. We must return to Sevan its health, and these are not just nice words. It is really our duty, our duty to return that debt with the expectation that Sevan will continue to serve our people and next generations.
The Commission was established four months ago. Since then we met with the Chairman of the Commission a number of times: I am well-informed on the activities conducted by the Commission and I believe that today we are ready to openly discuss all issues, all problems.
There will be no changes regarding Sevan related programs. As you already know, due to the global financial and economic crisis we are introducing amendments to the state budget, with the programs related to Sevan we will be judicious but the programs will not be cut off.”
Expressing confidence that multiple problems can be solved, the President of Armenia proposed to discuss any issue starting from bad practices of land allocation up to a failure to implement previously adopted decisions.
Presenting the report on the conducted and prospective works, the Chairman of the Commission, Vladimir Movsissian said that all the instruction assigned by the President last December had been incorporated in the working plan of the Commission and were being implemented. According to him, 16 important points have been identified: proposals regarding 10 of them are ready, and proposals on the remaining 6 will be presented shortly, according to the time table. Noting that the proposals resulted from the joint efforts of the Commission, the relevant Ministries, agencies and marz administrations, Vladimir Movsissian said that Sevan related complicated and multidimensional problems demand serious work, comprehensive and precise study.
At the meeting interested discussions were held on the main issues on the Commission’s agenda. In particular, discussed were issues of submerged areas, unauthorized structures, forests, water losses, water quality, restoration of fish stock, state and local governance, and coordination of the activities of the local governance bodies.
Stressing the importance of coordinated activities, the President of Armenia said “By engaging all able forces, we should be able to move forward steadily and deliberately”.
The President of Armenia observed areas, which have submerged as a result of the rising levels of Lake Sevan, and unauthorized installations and structures built at the shores of the Lake. A short discussion was held regarding the most urgent issues.
Later, the President of Armenia discussed the social and economic issues of the marz with the Head of local administration Nver Poghosian at the administrative office of the marz.
Mr. Poghosian informed the President on the preparatory spring agricultural works and other social and economic issues of the marz. Serzh Sargsyan gave concreted instructions to the administration of the marz.
At the administrative office of the marz, President Serzh Sargsyan conducted a working meeting with the participation of the Ministers of Environment protection, Transportation and Communications, Head of Gegharkunik administration.
In his opening remarks the President of Armenia said in particular “As we agreed last December, we are conducting a regular meeting of the Commission on Sevan issues here, at the shores of Sevan.
Sevan’s problems, complicated and neglected for decades, require our constant work and I think it is important not to despair and have a clear vision of where we are going, since in many instances these problems just don’t have plain solutions.
The results of our work may show only years later. When I say not to despair, I mean that a very important moving force is constantly present – our love for Sevan and our responsibility before future generations. We own Sevan a lot. We must return to Sevan what for many years, starting from the Soviet times, have been taken profusely. We must return to Sevan its health, and these are not just nice words. It is really our duty, our duty to return that debt with the expectation that Sevan will continue to serve our people and next generations.
The Commission was established four months ago. Since then we met with the Chairman of the Commission a number of times: I am well-informed on the activities conducted by the Commission and I believe that today we are ready to openly discuss all issues, all problems.
There will be no changes regarding Sevan related programs. As you already know, due to the global financial and economic crisis we are introducing amendments to the state budget, with the programs related to Sevan we will be judicious but the programs will not be cut off.”
Expressing confidence that multiple problems can be solved, the President of Armenia proposed to discuss any issue starting from bad practices of land allocation up to a failure to implement previously adopted decisions.
Presenting the report on the conducted and prospective works, the Chairman of the Commission, Vladimir Movsissian said that all the instruction assigned by the President last December had been incorporated in the working plan of the Commission and were being implemented. According to him, 16 important points have been identified: proposals regarding 10 of them are ready, and proposals on the remaining 6 will be presented shortly, according to the time table. Noting that the proposals resulted from the joint efforts of the Commission, the relevant Ministries, agencies and marz administrations, Vladimir Movsissian said that Sevan related complicated and multidimensional problems demand serious work, comprehensive and precise study.
At the meeting interested discussions were held on the main issues on the Commission’s agenda. In particular, discussed were issues of submerged areas, unauthorized structures, forests, water losses, water quality, restoration of fish stock, state and local governance, and coordination of the activities of the local governance bodies.
Stressing the importance of coordinated activities, the President of Armenia said “By engaging all able forces, we should be able to move forward steadily and deliberately”.