IN FORMAL SENSE, THERE WAS NOT ANY UNDONE WORK IN 2008, FINANCE MINISTER SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Feb 10, 2009
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The 2008 measures and programs of
the RA ministry of finance were mostly formulated in 4 documents on
measures of the Armenian government: the program of measures of the
government, the priority tasks, the list of measures envisaged for
2008-2012, and "Doing Business" program of measures.
When presenting the annual report to the prime minister Tigran Sargsyan
on February 10, the minister of finance Tigran Davtian said that
out of the 6 measures envisaged by last year’s government program,
only one was not fully implemented so it was proposed changing the
terms. "In the formal sense, there was not any undone work, but there
were some reservations regarding the implementation of some programs
which were mainly conditioned by the procedures of international
expert examination," the minister explained.
According to him, "Doing Business" measures can be considered
as implemented but there are some problems which are now being
discussed at the RA ministry of economy. These problems are related
to simplification of export procedures and the systems of licences
and permissions and to reduction in the number of the necessary
customs documents.
In the opinion of the prime minister, a problem exists in this sector.
"International comparisons shows that red tape has formed in
Armenia because of the legislation, normative acts and the existing
practice. This is the reason why Armenia’s rating has declined,"
he noted, adding that these actions are reduced and the unnecessary
stages are removed in other countries, which is not done in Armenia. "I
agree that there is an internal resistance, that is, many departments
and officials are not interested in this simplification because they
will be deprived of their leverage and influence, because the change
presupposes that their behavior must change, whereas people are not
inclined to change their behavior easily," T. Sargsyan said.