AN INTERVIEW OF THE NKR PRESIDENT TO "AZAT ARTSAKH" NEWSPAPER

Azat Artsakh Daily
09 Oct 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

Mr Sahakyan a year has passed after accepting the post of the NKR
President?

For what it was significant for You and for the republic?Have you
managed to realize everything foreseen this year? – Although a year is
a short period of time, but it has been rather full for our republic. I
want to emphasize especially, that the questions connected with safety
are considered first and foremost for us. The problem of continuous
increase of fighting ability of Defence Army has been always in the
in the focus of permanent attention. Our armed forces are able to
give any infringement a deserving counter-attack, testimony of which
was the effective stopping of the opponent’s armed attack on March
3-4. During last year a considerable progress has been fixed nearly
in all the spheres of the economy. By the results of the first term of
the current year, the NKR gross output has compiled 35.3 milliard drams
instead of the previous year’s 28.7 milliard drams, 8.1 per cent real
increase has been provided. By account of a soul, the gross output has
compiled 252.9 thousand drams, instead of the previous year’s 208.3
thousand drams. In comparison with the previous year’s same period
of time, in the first term of 2008 money incomes of the population
h ave increased by 22.4 per cent, the average monthly named salary –
20.2 per cent, real salary – 13.2 per cent. The average list amount of
employees in the economy has been considerably increased. Unprecedented
changes have taken place also in the volume and structure of the state
budget.The state budget of 2008 with its volumes exceeds the previous
year by more than 1.3 times. The sums directed to the agriculture,
forest and water economy in the state budget of 2008 exceed the index
of 2007 by about 3.8 times, in the sphere of social maintenance –
by about 1.5 times..

The difference in the sphere of education and science has compiled
27 per cent, in capital investments – 22 per cent, in the sphere of
culture – about 29 per cent. A number of programs having strategical
importance have started and are developing with all strength in
the republic. For example, restoration of reservoirs of Khachen and
Mataghis. Realization of such and other programs will give a chance
to irrigate some thousand hectares area of land , to product some
tens million kwt/h electricity.

"Artsakhfruit" enterprise has already begun to work, the complex of
mill and bread factory have restarted in the capital of the republic.At
the same time I find that there are still many tasks. In the structure
of NKR gross output I consider necessary providing of specific weight
especially on account of production of20agricultural and industrial
goodsAlmost in all the spheres serious works should be realized for
providing necessary rate of development.All this requires painstaking
and consistent work. – The process of formation of state budget of
2009 has already begun in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. What will be
its direction, which are the main primacies and perspectives of NKR
socio-economical development? – Now the first stage of budget process
is realized. The next year’s budget will obviously exceed the budget of
2008. Certainly, the budget of 2009 will also have underlined social
direction. The embraceable part of coming year’s expenses of state
budget were the expenses direcing to social sphere, particularly to
social insuarance and social maintenance. For the sphere of social
defence the sums foreseen in the state budget of 2009, with regard to
the budget of 2008, will exceed by 20 per cent.Wholly, assignments
to all the spheres will increase. Of course, all the spheres are
important, and in each sphere there are urgent questions. But at
present, for the development of our country agriculture, industry,
energetic sphere, education and science, construction have special
importance. Here rather important programs will be also realized. –
The obvious unbalanced character of development of the center and
regions is noticeable in the republic. What steps the NKR management
is about to take for abolishment of today=E 2s disproportion and
providing of even development of the capital and regions? – The future
of our country and its economy greatly depends on the development
of the republic’s regions, particularly country settlements. Taking
into consideration the pecularities of different territories and
today’s potential, works are realized by the state in the direction of
revelation of more optimal ways of villages’ development.For conducting
a new quality to the regions’ development it’s necessary to develop
substructures in villages, which will favour solution of many problems
having strategical important significance for our republic.Here
I’d like particularly to distinguish restoration of irrigation
system, providing of necessary village equipments, preparation and
qualification of cadres, restoration of information and means of
communication and organization of their unfailing work.Taking into
consideration the circumstance, that the development of our regions
is connected with agriculture, for the purpose of development of
this sphere in the circles of realizing arrangements reforms are
realized. For example, in the sphere of tax pedantism some changes
have taken place. The tax of land in 2007 for a hectare has compiled
12 thousand 200 drams, then from January 1st,2008 it is already
8000 drams. Solution of today’s problems in the spheres of culture,
education, health service and development of these spheres in re
gions are also in the focus of the state’s attention. Development of
irrigation system and solution of water problems in regions are urgent.

Speaking about development of regions I consider very important not
only the work of the state’s central links, but the activity of local
authorities. In our state governing system local authorities are
one of weak links, which is especially expressed in administrative
sphere. Those are problems which need time. But we are inflexible
and we’ll do all possible for providing stable development of our
regions. – One of urgent problems is improvement of demographic
situation in the republic, which has also important political
significance. NKR authorities touched upon the problem many times, but
the situation is not essentially changed, though 14 years have already
passed after establishment of ceasefire. – Progress of the state is
almost closely connected with stable demographic increase. In our case
demography has especial importance, as our greatest wealth is people
and its potential. Improvement of demographic situation is one of the
urgent problems of the republic. But I don’t share the viewpoint,
that the situation is not essentially changed in the sphere. On
the contrary, the situation has been radically changed. Demographic
situation in our country is rather stable. There is no leakage of
population.But more, number of population increases.At last period of
time, in economical and social spheres policy and complex arrangements
of the authorities have had positive influence upon demographical
some indexes.

So, during 8 months of 2008, in comparison with the previous year’s
same period of time a natural increase have increased by 111 persons,
mechanical – by 543. Owing to the well-known program realized by the
state in the country unprecedented increase of marriages have been
fixed.In the result of eight months of the current year it has compiled
2160, which is 4.6 times more than the marriages fixed in the same
period of time of the previous year. With all that, We must state, that
there are much tasks in this sphere.It’s necessary to be consistent
and to continue realization of complex programs,especially in regions
and countries. There are all conditions in our country for providing
stable demographic increase, and the authorities will do everything
to bring the demographic situation up to the dezired level. – The
most vulnerable stratum of our republic are the families of victims
of Karabakh war, invalids and the missing. What steps are taken in
the direction of improvement of this stratum’s social condition? –
Socially unprovided groups of population have been always in the focus
of the authorities’ attention. Serious works are realized for solution
of the latters’ social problems. On account of the state budget’s
mea ns treatment of the members of families of killed servicemen
and invalids is organized in sanatoria. Arrangements directed to the
improvement of vital conditions of families of invalids and victims
of the war are realized.Coming years we foresee to solve fully flat
problems of invalids and families of victims. I want to assure,
that henceforth, the state will do all the possible for alleviating
grief of invalids and families of killed azatamartiks and improving
their social conditions. – The events in Georgia have radically
changed army political situation in the South Caucasus. How will
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic construct its foreign political activity
in new condition? Will the NKR management’s position, strategy
bear changes in the process of Karabakh conflict settlement? – Army
political situation in the South Caucasus has been really changed,
and all this is taken into consideration in the process of conducting
our country’s foreign policy. But there are fundamental principles,
which will remain unchanging.These are steadiness and multidirections
of foreign policy, waylaying of karabakhian-azrbaijanian conflict
peace settlement, Artsakh’s participation in negotiating process. Our
approach to Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s future has remained
unchanging. Independence and safety of Artsakh are not liable to
speculations and bargainings.