INTERVIEW WITH PRIME MINISTER
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
04 Feb 05
Mr. Prime Minister, at the last meeting of the government you made
several interesting statements. You also mentioned the necessity of
reconsidering several programs of the government. What are the reasons
for this? – As you know, in 2000 the government worked out the program
of reforms of economic development which included tax, investment, as
well as structural, sphere, regional and several other components. The
program was confined to concrete terms: 2000-2002 years of intensive
reforms, 2003-2005 years of steep economic growth and 2006-2010 years
of potential development of the economy. Today I may state that the
two stages are literally coming to an end and now we not only give an
assessment to the past years of reforms but we have also set new
milestonesbefore the decisive stage taking into account past
achievements and mistakes. – Would you give details? For instance,
the government had estimated a 25-30 per cent growth of the GDP in
2002-2004. In 2002 the growth of the GDP was 36.2 per cent, in 2003
43.8 per cent and in 2004 56 per cent. The estimated indices were
significantly surpassed in foreign trade. Especially good achievements
were reported in the export of goods. It suffices to mention that the
export of 1.1 billion drams in 2000 reached 19.2 billion in 2004. That
is, it grew 17.4 times in the result of which the negative trade
balance of the country was reduced from 14 times to 2 times (export
19.2 billion, import 58.7 billion). Naturally the growth of income
also surpassed the expected rates, which I consider one of the chief
achievements of the economic reforms. For the years 2003-2005 we had
estimated a growth of income by 30 per cents which is indeed a high
rate but in 2003 the rate of growth was 42 percent, in 2004 44.8 per
cent. It is notable that in the budget of 2005 we have already
maintained 42 per cent of growth of income. The government announced
that owing to the reforms the rate of the GDP in 2001 (23.8 billion
drams) would double in the next five years (reaching 47.6 billion
drams in 2006). However, taking into account the high rates of
economic growth, the government planned to increase the volume of the
GDP in the state budget of 2005 up to 48 billion. And this means that
already in 2005 the volume of the GDP of 2001 will have doubled, and
not in 5 but 4 years. By the way, the government kept another
important vow. In two years the volume of income of 2002 doubled in
2004. The planned rates were surpassed as wellin reference to the
minimum and average salaries, allowances and other spheres. The steep
growth of macroeconomic rates once again confirmed that the economic
reforms implemented in the republic are on the right way and proved
their viability. Taking into account these facts the government worked
out a new program of economic development last October, which will
cover the period between 2006-2010 and will mainly be based upon the
rates of the previous years.- By the way, in the meeting of the
government you said that working out of the programs will be over in
the first semester of the current year. At the same time you mentioned
indices which will be a milestone for further macroeconomic rates. I
wonder in what directions the program will develop. – I may say that
the macroeconomic part of the program is ready. At the same time, the
major part still remains. The new program will in fact differ from the
others; besidesthe sums to be provided to spheres and regions and
their sources also the estimated value of each object, the source of
financing and the date will be recorded. Moreover, besides the
material aspect the program will also involve components grounded from
the structural, infrastructure, regional development and economic
aspects of the management system. – Mr. Prime Minister, which will be
the main estimated macroeconomic indices of the NKR development
program for 2006-2010? – You know, while commenting on economic topics
certain journalists mix the numbers and the reader has difficulties in
getting a true idea. In order for it to be easier for you, today I
will mention only one number which will be easy to remember –
100. However, this number refers to the three directions of economic
development. In 2006-2010, that is in five years, it is planned to
double the GDP increasing it once again up to 100 billion drams. The
secondgoal is to double the budget of the country in the mentioned
period. That is to say, in 2010 it will total almost 100 million US
dollars. And third, according to the program, in 2010 the average
salary in the republic will total about100 thousand drams. – Thank
you. We wish to the second program of development of Artsakh worked
out by the government to be as successful as the program for 2000-2005′
REGNUM.
04-02-2005