ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES DRAFT PROGRAM 2008-2012
ARKA
April 28, 2008
YEREVAN, April 28. /ARKA/. The RA Government approved at today’s
special session its draft program 2008-2012.
According to the document, GDP (gross domestic product) is expected
to grow by 8%-10%. Annual investments will increase by 10% in the
coming years. The Government plans to reduce disproportional regional
development.
Non-agricultural employment is expected to increase by 10%.
The share of public revenues in the annual GDP will grow by
0.3pct-0.4pct.
The Government also focuses on poverty reduction, the general poverty
line being below 11.2% (extreme poverty level being below 1.6%). The
country’s multilevel pension system will help raise pensions and
increase financing of social insurance by 6.2%.
Healthcare and education financing will increase by 2.2% and 3.5%
respectively.
RA Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan said the basis for the
government program is the Poverty Reduction National Strategy
Program. Provisions of the RA President’s election program and
proposals submitted by coalition are included in it.
The government’s objective is to ensure the country’s security,
welfare of citizens and socially vulnerable people.
The program focuses on the country’s stability and formation of
a democracy-based civil society. The government’s program aims at
ensuring the supremacy of law and free economic competition, as well
as uniting Armenians all over the world.
National security and economic development are priority-driven issues.
Stable macroeconomic policy will help reduce the major difference
between the population income in Armenia and advanced countries.
The program makes provisions for burning issues on defense, national
security and public order.
Another focus of the program is cooperation of local and foreign
entrepreneurs.
It is necessary to improve services provided by government bodies and
local governments. The country will have an electronic management
system soon to coordinate activities of local governments and
government bodies, thus reducing to minimum contacts between citizens
and civil servants. This will help combat corruption.
The government considers it important to develop science and
education. The program contributes to regional development and lightens
the burden of Yerevan by moving some functions from the capital city
to the country’s regions. Another priority-driven issue is social
security.