President holds consultation to discuss socio-economic situation and marz priorities of Lori Marz

President Serzh Sargsyan held a consultation today with Lori’s marzpet and the marzpetaran staff to discuss the socio-economic situation in Lori Marz for 2014 and the first half of 2015, as well as to talk about the existing problems and the development programs.

“In the past few months, we have had multiple occasions to talk about the marz’s separate socio-economic development programs and issues, but I would like to sum up our approaches, view the marz’s economy in its entirety, but in that entirety try to highlight the branches that can develop more rapidly in Lori than in another marz. I would like to talk about comparative advantages since I am sure that there are certain economic branches which can develop much more rapidly in Lori. I would like to make immediate clarification on the issue related to Vanadzor-Khimprom CJSC because I am certain that all of you are concerned about it. Last week, the minister of energy and natural resources was instructed to pay the workers’ two-month salaries together with shareholders, pay the whole debt by December 15, and decide the fate of Vanadzor-Khimprom CJSC. I am confident that those people will have already received their salaries by the end of this week, and that by December 15, both the salary issue and the factory’s fate will be addressed. I would like to set out further detail on the ongoing road construction programs in the marz, because we have been implementing programs there. We should view the matters from another perspective: road construction can’t be an end in itself. We have been giving a fresh impulse to road construction in the marz so that we can develop agriculture, industry and tourism. I would like to view the issue from this perspective as well.

It is natural that today Teghut Combine is the leader of the marz economy, and it has a big positive impact not only on the marz economy, but also on the republic’s entire economy. Today we can surely state that Teghut is an enterprise that have set a new system. The combine has already stimulated establishment of small and medium enterprises, and the number of those enterprises is gradually growing. I would just urge the marz leadership to work closely with the combine to address not only economic, but also social and ecological issues.

I think that we will be able to address, as best as possible, the issue of research and progressive initiatives through the foundation of a new center in Vanadzor. That technological center will be launched next year.

I would like to see what you have done, at what stage you are at the moment because at the same time, we have to deal with the issue of opening a Tumo branch in Vanadzor. In all cases, the Simonian Educational Foundation will have a Tumo branch in Vanadzor by 2016. I have already talked to the benefactor, there are people who will pay the costs, and not only the children of Vanadzor, but also the children of the marz’s other settlements will have the chance to test their abilities in that sphere as well.

I have to inform you that I have already made some agreements, and during the coming two weeks we will announce about the establishment of a foundation - the Lori Development Fund - the task of which will be to develop those very branches with comparative advantages in Lori. I think that the light industry sphere has been developing normally in your marz, and we should inject new resources and engage new people. I think that in a short period of time we will be able to tackle this issue in the marz.

Of course, I also attach importance to the development of social infrastructures. The construction of a new hospital and maternity ward is also of crucial importance. I would like to see the status of the given works, when they will finish and will be launched.

The last issues about which I would like to talk is the development of tourism in the marz where we have all the prerequisites - historical and cultural monuments, normal roads, and unique people. Here we must also be able to make very serious progress,” said President Serzh Sargsyan at the beginning of the consultation.

Marzpet Arthur Nalbandyan thoroughly presented the finished and ongoing works being implemented in Lori Marz per directions mentioned by the RA president, as well as per separate spheres and programs, underscoring that during the accounting period one can really observe a positive shift in almost all spheres, and first of all especially in the industry sphere because the marz is mainly industrial.

During the consultation, Ashot Kirakosyan, Executive Director of the Armenian Territorial Development Fund (ATDF), reported on the investments to be made in marz communities through the fund’s first component.

At the end of the consultation, President Serzh Sargsyan gave a number of instructions. Particularly, the RA minster of energy and natural resources was instructed to discuss with the shareholders of Vanadzor-Khimprom CJSC the timetable to pay the whole salary depth by December 15, simultaneously developing proposals on the further usage of the present production capacities or, if needed, on the opportunities of restarting the enterprise through reorganization.

The Lori marzpet and the RA minister of economy were instructed to discuss the opportunities to provide the marz SMEs with preferential loans and driven by the clear priorities of creating jobs through broadening those companies’ capabilities and encouraging exports, develop program proposals to present to the Lori Development Fund to be established for that purpose in the near future.

Armenia’s president underlined that with the aim of fully renovating and constructing the marz’s educational, cultural and sports objects, as well as of developing infrastructures in separate vulnerable communities, the ATDF should initiate a process of developing design documents for the programs enlisted in the urgent program list presented during the report, as well as a process of competitive procurement of construction works, during further programs showing the same preference to the urgent renovation works of community schools and primary schools presented by LSGB.

With the aim of continuously improving the mechanisms for protection of agricultural arable lands from natural disasters, the RA minister of territorial administration and emergency situations was instructed to take measures to enlarge the coverage of anti-hail systems in Lori Marz and raise the effectiveness of their management, presenting assessments on appropriate financial resources to the RA government for discussion.

With the aim of improving the recycling chain of milk and fruit and vegetables, ensuring food security and increasing purveyance volumes in separate regions of Lori Marz, the RA agriculture minister was instructed to discuss with the Lori marzpet the opportunity of rendering full assistance to the programs aimed at milk recycling, establishment of refrigerated farms and re-equipment of current productions within the frames of the upcoming programs implemented by the RA Ministry of Agriculture, presenting respective proposals to the RA government for approval. Simultaneously, the RA agriculture minister was instructed to discuss with the RA economy minister the opportunity to apply concrete financial support tools to push forward the abovementioned programs.

With the aim of urgently (during 2015-2016) addressing the final stage of the housing program for homeless families in the earthquake zone, the RA minster of urban development was instructed to take appropriate measures to render financial assistance to the beneficiary families of the final stage of the Vanadzor and Spitak State Housing Program till the end of the year, presenting the financial assessments to the RA government for discussion. At the same time, the minister was instructed to make proposals on completing the housing issue of the same program’s beneficiary families in Lori’s village communities in 2016.

The RA ministers of economy and culture were instructed joint the Lori marzpet to examine and propose appropriate program proposals on the development of the marz’s tourism potential to the RA government, taking into account the main routes of the marz’s historical and cultural values and its rich nature.

The Lori marzpet was instructed to render full assistance to the works of founding the Vanadzor Technological Center and the adjacent educational-innovative environment.