ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES DO NOT TAKE ANY STEPS TO ENCOURAGE DOMESTIC PRODUCERS, FORMER CHAIRMAN OF CBA SAYS

Noyan Tapan

Feb 10, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian authorities do not
take any steps to encourage domestic producers: out of the 122 issues
on the agenda of the last four-day session of the National Assembly,
none was related to domestic production. The former chairman of the
Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) Bagrat Asatrian made this statement at
the February 10 debate. In his words, good and bad laws are passed
in all countries, but the majority of Armenian laws are bad.

B. Asatrian considered the government’s steps aimed at overcoming
the financial and economic crisis as unsatisfactory as well. The
greatest danger of this crisis is the expected growth of unempoyment,
whereas, in his opinion, the authorities do not pay due attention to
ensuring the population’s employment. B. Asatrian noted that the use
of stricter tax administration under the current hard conditions was
an excessive measure, and it would be correct to wait for the end
of the crisis. "Now the whole burden will lie on small and medium
economic entities, taxi drivers, so the poor will suffer again,"
the former chairman of CBA said.

The other participant in the debate – member of the parliamentary
"Prosperous Armenia Party" faction Vardan Bostanjian in his turn
said that laws can be bad, but the reason is not the absence of the
authorities’ will.

He admitted that favorable conditions have not been created for
domestic producers so far, but the "sluggishness is not the absence
of will".

According to V. Bostanjian, he heard about the Armenian prime
minister’s anticrisis program on a Russian television channel and
became convinced that it is invulnerable. "However, we have a right
to doubt if it will be completely implemented," the deputy said.