SPEECH OF PRESIDENT BAKO SAHAKYAN DELIVERED…
Azat Artsakh Daily
11 Nov 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
On 11 November at the Officer’s Palace of capital Stepanakert top
leadership of the Republic met heads of the NKR local self-government
bodies. During the meeting at the presence of representatives of
legislative, executive and judicial branches President of the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic Bako Sahakyan delivered a comprehensive speech.
Dear participants, The main goal of this meeting is to find ways
to make the work of local self-government bodied more effective
and optimal. An established system of local self-government is a
strong factor in the process of solving problems related to social,
economic and political developments, formation of civic society and
strengthening the foundations of democratic governance. There are
sufficient conditions to have such a system in our republic. The
main precondition is the institute of democratic elections, where
a substantial progress has been registered. Elections to local
self-government bodies that have been held in Artsakh since 1998 in
compliance with international standards are the best prove evidence
of that.
It can be also stated that we have a formed necessary legislative
basis and an accumulated working experience. At the same time we must
say that the system of local authorities still has not reached the
desired level.
Above all things, in our state system the local self-government
bodies are one of the weakest chains. This is especially evident
in administrative sphere. The interconnections between local,
regional and central bodies are not sufficient. The same is true in
the inter-regional level. In many cases heads of communities are not
aware about situation in structures they govern. Some of them do not
have information even about the volumes of goods produced in the
corresponding villages. There are substantial differences between
figures submitted by them to local branches of the NKR National
Statistical Service and the real ones. Quite often this discrepancy
reaches fifty percent. Serious drawbacks have been registered in proper
conduction of communal books, which are the basis of housekeeping,
population size and other key indicators. We have this situation
even in settlements where population size does not exceed several
dozens of people. Quite few people realize that community with all
its components is the initial chain on which the entire economy
is based. There is no need in extra efforts to find a solution
to these problems. There should be just responsibility and self-
discipline, which are themselves statutory requirements. An effectively
functioning system of local self-government could be achieved through
a sufficient economic potential. For this very reason I consider the
work of community leaders directed at local budget performance to
be of great importance. Within this context the heads of the regions
are also to play an important role. I must say that the performance
of local budget in terms of revenues is a serious problem for almost
every rural community. The rights to real estate of community members
and other natural persons who use land on a lease basis have not been
registered in territorial branches of the NKR State Committee of the
Real Estate Cadastre. As a result they do not have certificates and
thereby violate dispositions of the NKR Law on State Registration of
Property Rights. The results are ungrounded and unrealistic community
budgets, particularly in respect of revenues. This is an obstacle to
fully-fledged realization of mandatory and voluntary responsibilities
preserved for them by law. In 2007 at the exception of Askeran,
Shahoumyan and Shoushi regions all other others did not secure the
performance of the budget in terms of their own revenues. This is in a
situation when all the regions have received subsidies in full volumes.
The same situation we have in the current year. In three quarters
of this year no region, at the exception of Shoushi and Shahoumyan
regions, secured its own revenues. Overall, within the above
mentioned period budget performance in terms of own revenues made
up 84,2 percent. Such is the picture in more than 70 percent of
rural communities of the Askeran region, in almost all communities
of the Hadrout and Martouni regions, in 20 out of 44 communities
in the Martakert region. In this regard, I want to emphasize the
issues of timely and full-scale collection of local taxes, which
must be in the spotlight of both the regional administrations and
local self-government bodies. No proper attitude is shown towards
preservation and usage of communal property. In many cases fixed
assets owned by communities are not displayed in balance sheets.
I would like to draw your attention on another negative phenomenon
too. Sometimes individuals who deserve to occupy high post in neither
from professional nor moral points of view are elected heads of local
self-government bodies. The situation becomes more complicated because
this divides communities, creates unhealthy atmosphere, and endangers
successful fulfillment of strategically important state projects,
which is inadmissible. A complex of measures should be carried out
to fix the existing situation. In the first place it is necessary
establish close links between local, regional and central government
bodies, which will afford to solve problems the population faces in
an effective way. The upper units of management thereby can be fully
aware of the issues existing in the lower ones and take proper steps
to respond to them timely and adequately. Within this context it
would be expedient to carry out regular monitoring and observations
in communities and regions providing necessary6 assistance. The
fundamentals of this process lie in both the information provided
by the communities and a comprehensive analysis of the situation
carried out by appropriate structures and specialists. It is very
important for the lower units of management take initiative. Passive
stance is inadmissible. I consider the working style of transferring
responsibility to other units of management especially the higher
ones intolerable too. In connection with this it is necessary make
tradition forums of local self government bodies at a regional or
state level with participation of the country’s top leadership. The
forums will discuss the results of the implemented work, the current
situation, existing problems and subsequent activities. It will be a
good impetus to sum up the implemented work, to clarify shortcomings
and eliminate them in an operative way. 95 percent of the republic’s
communities are agricultural ones. Agriculture has been one of the
leading branches of our economy. This sphere accounts for a substantial
share of the NKR’s GDP. The strategic importance of agriculture lies
both in food security and defense capacity of the country. In 2007
the sphere’s GDP reached 23.8 billion drams, which is in comparable
prices 8,8 percent more than in 2006. In the current year positive
results of state policies directed at the development of the sphere are
evident in the dynamics of quantitative and qualitative indices. In
the three quarters of the current year gross GDP of the agricultural
sphere constituted 23,6 billion drams securing thereby 39,6 percent
real growth in comparison with the same period of 2007. The level
of crop yield of cereals in comparison with the previous year has
increased twofold However, despite all of this the sphere’s share in
the country’s GDP cannot be considered satisfactory. The situation in
the sphere of agriculture continues to remain at undesired level. A
conspicuous evidence of that is the mere fact that having favorable
conditions to develop the agrarian sector, the republic continues
to import more than half of the agricultural goods it consumes. And
this is against the background of having all the opportunities both
to meet domestic demands and export to world market ecologically
clean and competitive products. To change the situation we must pay
primary attention to the issues of modern farming machines and cadres,
as well specialization in the production of intensive crops. These
measures will result in rapid growth of agricultural production. The
role of the ministry of agriculture, regional administration, and
local self-government bodies in coordinating and supervising these
activities is of great importance. It is necessary mention that
taking into account regional peculiarities of different territories
and the existing potential, works have been carried out to discover
more optimal ways of elaborating and realizing agricultural projects
in the republic on a sub-regional level. While realizing a balanced
policy of territorial development, I consider necessary make a
right choice in choosing sub-regional projects and pay a primary
attention to the Kashatagh and Shahoumyan regions. Completion of the
carried out studies and being successive in realizing socioeconomic
development programs in the Kashatagh and Shahoumyan regions are sine
qua non conditions. This process will be under my direct supervision.
I consider the development of infrastructures in the countryside of
utmost importance. This will promote both bonding the population in
villages and solving some problems of strategic importance our country
faces. In this connection we receive a lot of complaints from people
in the countryside. Proclaiming agriculture strategically important
fields for the development of our economy, we have face numerous
questions and finding solutions to them is now a primary task for the
state. Within this very context the development of infrastructures,
particularly, reconstruction of the irrigation system, shipment
of modern farming machinery, preparation and training of cadres,
reconstruction and safeguarding uninterruptible functioning of
communication facilities these activities and other such issues
are of great importance. In our republic 18000 hectares of lands
are to be irrigated. However, currently only 5000 hectares are
irrigated at present, of which only 2220 hectares are irrigated
on the basis of signed contracts. This means that the process of
signing contracts should be further articulated. Such a situation in
this strategically important system cannot satisfy us. Observations
have showed that water resources of the NKR enable to meet fully
domestic demands. Today having an irrigation system is a problem
of extraordinary importance. One of my recent visits was dedicated
to studying ways of solving this very problem. Taking into account
results of this research I assign the Cabinet of Ministers to elaborate
appropriate projects, which by 2010 will increase the area of irrigated
lands to 8-10 thousand hectares. Within the framework of developing
agriculture reforms have been carried out in the sphere of taxation
too. If in 2007 the levy for one hectare of state reserve fund lands
composed 12200 drams then since January 1, 2008 it has been 8000
drams. For further facilitation of the tax field it is necessary
make the levy 6000 drams from January 1, 2009. In this connection
I assign the government to introduce appropriate changes in legal
acts currently in force. Serious preparatory activities have been
carried out in the country to shape processing industry. Our goal
is guarantee supply of agricultural production. The "Artsakh Fruit,"
in the formation of which the state has its unique contribution, is
an evidence of this. In securing our further socioeconomic progress
the development of health protection, education and culture spheres
has special importance. The state continues to make reforms in these
spheres too. Necessary activities have been carried out to increase the
role and quality of education as well as for successful implementation
of school building projects. In this sphere the volumes of capital
investments through implementation of state and philanthropic projects
are increasing year after year. Resources allocated to secure normal
conditions of school building and acquire new equipment have increased
too. To boost development of pre-school educational system it is
necessary re-establish kindergarten and pre-school institutions. A
significant role is given to the establishment of stable vocational
school system, which will also contribute to successful fulfillment
of cadre policy. There are still unsolved problems in comprehensive
schools in the countryside despite works carried out in the past. In
the bulk of schools enrolment of pupils are at quite low level.
Some places lack modern gyms and open sports ground. Appropriate
activities have been carried out in the field of culture too. Cultural
centers are being recovered in the countryside. This should contribute
to the activation of cultural life. Everything should be done for
the cultural centers to serve their very purpose. In the sphere of
health protection the most important issues are construction of a new
building of the republican hospital and maternity hospital, renewal
and reconstruction of regional hospitals in Martakert, Martouni and
Hadrout, modernize equipment of medical institutions. Parallel with
this I consider necessary provide full spectrum of first medical aid
in the countryside. The solution of these problems should always be in
the spotlight of the ministry of health protection. There are quite
many problems also in the spheres of communications, informational
technologies and transport. There should be created such a transport
network that will enable to establish automobile connection between
rural settlements and regional centers, between the countryside and the
capital as well as between and rural communities of different regions.
As to the problem of ensuring information flow to the countryside
then on the territory of the NKR the programs of Artsakh Public TV
are broadcast in full volume to 118 communities, partially to 36
ones. 98 communities are fully deprived of the opportunity to watch
our TV programs.
This is one of the major challenges our republic faces. I assign the
government to carry out appropriate measures to secure broadcasting
of Artsakh and Republic of Armenia’s public channels in the whole
territory of the NKR until the end of 2009. Special attention should
be paid to the development of mail service between communities and
regional centers.
Subscription to newspapers and their distribution should also be
carefully studied. I would like to put a special emphasis on the issue
of public and transparent work of the local self-government bodies. A
community leader must be accountable to members of his community,
enjoy their respect and confidence. Community members in their turn
should take an active part in the life of their community. We will
be successive in order to realize all projects aimed at amelioration
of the work of local self government bodies and living conditions
of rural population. At the same the state through its appropriate
structures will strengthen control over effective utilization of
budgetary resources. Dear participants, effective solutions of
these problems will enable to create fully functioning system of
local self-government system. This can be done only through daily
painstaking work, through utmost responsibility and cordiality,
through carrying out duties in all seriousness and strictness. Our
country, our people and every citizen will gain of this. This is our
goal and we will do everything possible to achieve it Thank you!
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
