ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Jan 19 2007

YEREVAN SHOULD BECOME ATTRACTIVE, COMFORTABLE CITY TO LIVE IN

YEREVAN, January 19. /ARKA/. Yerevan should become an attractive and
comfortable city to live in, the problems of its residents should be
paid more attention, Armenia’s President Robert Kocharyan said at the
meeting held to discuss the work of the Yerevan Municipality in 2006
and its plans for 2007.
Kocharyan pointed out the positive changes in the municipal
performance discipline and the apparent increase in the volume of
work done. But the country’s economic growth and the dynamic
development of Yerevan create new problems that should be addressed
promptly, the President said.
Kocharyan pointed out the problem of motorway traffic in the capital.
The number of cars increasing every year makes us seek new solutions
to the problem, he said.
The President considered it necessary to improve the traffic centers,
speed up in providing the capital with public transport of high
carrying capacity and to completely solve the problem within one or
two years.
Kocharyan addressed the issue of infrastructure modernization along
with the development of Yerevan.
He said that the Municipality should provide sound forecasts on the
development within the next few years. Based on the forecasts,
calculations are to be made as to what kinds of investments are
required (including the business and natural monopolies).
"The capital is in large-scale construction: construction share in
GDP increased by 37% last year, which is a high rate. New residential
areas and streets are built. If the infrastructures do not meet the
requirement, we will be in the trouble then and the Municipality will
turn to a structure endlessly chasing after breakdowns," Kocharyan
said. N.V. -0–