INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS AND PARLIAMENT ARMENIAN OFFICE OPENS
YEREVAN, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN. “I hope that the educational program of
the International Association of Business and Parliament will become
an exemplary model for other programs being implemented within the
framework of the EU European Neighborhood Policy,” Europarliament’s
Vice Chairman Edward McMillan Scott stated during the opening ceremony
of the Armenian Office of the International Association of Business
and Parliament (IABP).
Head of the OSCE Armenia Office Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin attached
special importance to the IABP program in terms of promoting small and
medium enterprises, noting that they represent a basis of
democracy. He pointed out that the OSCE Armenia Office is actively
assisting the programs aimed at developing the cooperation between
Armenian parliamentarians and businessmen.
The IABP Armenian coordinator – Vice Speaker of the RA National
Assembly Vahan Hovhannisian underlined the importance of the program’s
mission, which consists in “building bridges” between business and
parliamentarians. The program aims to assist the Armenian
parliamentarians with extending the Armenian economic system as a
single complex and organizing their law-making activities.
IABP Secretary-General Frederick Hyde-Chambers expressed a hope that
the IABP Armenian Office will contribute to the establishment of
efficient and transparent relations between the RA National Assembly
deputies and business and become one of the factors of Armenia’s
prosperity.
The scheme of organizing regular meetings of businessmen and
parliamentarians and establishing their cooperation through joint
educational programs was first used in Great Britain in 1977. Later it
was applied in the Europarliament and 10 IABP member states. Armenia
intends to become a full member of the association.
IABP offices will open in Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia, which have
also applied for IABP membership, during Edward Mcmillan Scott’s
visits to these countries.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
