REPUTATION OF "INDUSTRIAL CENTRE" IS NOT GAINED

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[12:43 pm] 26 November, 2008

There were some 100 enterprises in Shirak Marz during the Soviet era,
which annually gave production of 11 billion rubles.

Gyumri once had 38 industrial enterprises. In the result of the 1988
earthquake compressors and wireless devices broke down before giving
final production. Over 70 percent of the remaining enterprises were
destroyed.

Though today the city has a few enterprises they cannot regain the
city’s enviable reputation of a leading "industrial centre." The city
once standing out with mighty industry has been silent for 20 years.

Marietta Gyodakyan, Head of Social-Economic Department of Shirak’s
Marzpetaran (municipal council) says there are 100 organisations in
the marz today but most of them drum up small or medium business. They
give 56 percent of the manufacturing output while big businesses give
22 percent.

The few workshops operating in the city need serious investments to
attain success at the market let alone technical procurement. Each
entrepreneur should find a market and meet its requirements.

"The Government should back entrepreneurs as they need their
support. Today we cannot import our products to Russia as we don’t
have a certificate. Though we are given independence to realise our
production we cannot work freely because of high taxes," says the
director of "Arshalyus" OJSC Robert Zakaryan.

The OJSC has no problems with the realisation. The company will soon
be equipped with new techniques but the staff still encounters some
obstacles.

If once we paid for the raw material after we realised our products,
today we have to pay in cash the moment we buy it. We pay 30 percent
of the money at the Custom’s Office," added Robert Zakaryan.

Today all enterprises face problems with export. On the one hand,
the state doesn’t help them find new markets, one the other hand,
poses artificial obstacles on their way.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress