ISSUES RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESSES IN THE FOCUS OF RA PRESIDENT’S ATTENTION

ArmRadio.am
21.06.2006 16:54

Issues related to the development of small and medium businesses were
discussed today during RA President Robert Kocharyan’s recurrent
meeting with a number of representatives of the sphere, featuring
also Ministers of Agriculture and Trade and Economic Development.

Robert Kocharyan noted that small and medium entrepreneurship is
actively developing, which is evidenced by the fact that its portion
comprises 40 percent in the GDP and 16 percent in the export. "It
is hard to find a person in Armenia who would not have a desire to
open his own business. This is a strong internal aspiration to be
the master of own fate, which can serve as a serious impetus for the
development of small and medium business, and we appreciate this,"
the President said.

Head of the country encouraged over twenty businessmen representing
all marzes of Armenia to launch an open and just discussion.

Participants of the meeting noted that the development of the sphere
has entered a new phase. There are, however, problems that should
be addressed.

Particularly, reference was made to the decrease of the frequency of
carrying out inspection in small and medium enterprises, providing
business recommend to entrepreneurs in marzes, the necessity of
preparing cadres with professional education and a number of omissions
in the legislature.

The interlocutors thoroughly discussed issues of receiving long-term
and low-interest loans and expansion of leasing services. Reference
was made also to the fluctuations of the currency rates.

Robert Kocharyan said that the suggested questions will be discussed
once again during the special consultations to be held in the future,
and final solutions will be found.