EVERYTHING CAN BECOME PRIVATE “IN THIS COUNTRY”
Anna Israelian

Aravot.am
11 April 06

The issues of energy and privatization were essential for the NA yesterday,
which was discussed as drafts only in the evening.

GAS PROBLEM

The Parliament was trying to adopt the agenda till 15:30 breaking
the works for three times trying to solve the problem of quorum.

The secretary of ”Justice” bloc Victor Dallakian was the first who
asked for break who proposed to form “NA temporary commission for the
issue of gas price”. It should examine the ground of levels of gas
price and the correspondence of selling the 5th power energy station
of Hrazdan to the law.

Perhaps he expected that he would gather necessary signatures during
20 minutes. But only 19 deputies signed it, members from “Justice” and
“National Unity” blocs and independent deputies Hmayak Hovhannisian,
Emma Khudabashian and Manouk Gasparian. To our question whether they
are going to join to this initiation the ULP leader Gourgen Arsenian
answered; “We still read the decision of the Government to see whether
the process is understandable for us. We’ ll join to the signatures if
there are dark points for us”. RPA, ARF and Orinats Erkir Party won’t
join to this initiation. The NA chairman Arthur Baghdasarian said;
“There is no need to form the commission. If there are problems it can
be discussed during parliamentary hearings inviting the Minister of
Energy for learning all details. Everything is obvious for us. What
should we discuss?”

THE PROBLEM OF ATOMIC STATION

The change in the law “About Energy” is in the agenda, too. According
to it the state monopoly in the nuclear power is being moved, the
shareholders of new constructing Atomic station can also be juridical
persons. At the beginning the Orinats Erkir Party was against that
initiation. But yesterday Arthur Bahghadasrian declared that their
proposals had been included in the changed project of the government;
”It is mentioned in the current text that the Atomic Station of
Metsamor is the RA state property and can’t be privatized”.

The second proposal is that they should adopt a special law about new
constructing Atomic station. “I consider this a serious political
agreement”, – the NA chairman said. The deputies of “Justice” bloc
Aram G. Sargsian and Arshak Sadoyan noticed that the Atomic Station
of Metsamor wouldn’t be privatized, it should be closed. Arthur
Baghdasarian answered that he had such an apprehension as everything
has been privatized “in this country”.

PROBLEMS OF PRIVATIZATION

The NA chairman said that the sale of the 5th bloc of the energy power
station of Hrazdan should be observed economically, politically and
socially; ” Yes, it is dangerous politically that energy powers are
accumulated at the hands of Russia. This means that our state must
realize a proper control”.

According to Arthur Baghdasarian it is profitable economically to
invest 600$mln in the economy of Armenia by Russia. You know that
Armenia has 1 $milliard outside debt. Taking another 150$ million to
re-operating the 5th energy power bloc of Hrazdan is a luxury for the
country. Besides it is important socially that we’ll have predictable
gas prices till 2009 and the electric power won’t rise in price”.

–Boundary_(ID_LRYtMZVrxTdEHZHsUJv/iA)–