GOVERNMENT TO PRESENT RESULTS OF ANTI-CRISIS PROGRAM IN Q4: PM

/ARKA/
September 16, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, September 16, /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
said Wednesday that his government will present the results of the
anti-crisis program in Q4 of this year. Speaking at the presentation
of the Second National Competitiveness Report, the prime minister
said the government will also make its forecasts for 2010 and 2011.

The premier said the government paid much heed to major provisions of
the Competitiveness Report, because it is trying to undertake such
measures that would mitigate the negative impact of the economic
crisis.

Tigran Sargsyan expressed regret that in 2009 the government has had
to focus all its efforts on mitigating the fallout from the crisis.

"The government was aimed at implementation of the anti-crisis program
in three major directions. It had to assume an extensive policy and
envisaged greater spending with expenses channeled to infrastructure
projects,’ the premier said.

‘The government cooperated with international lending organizations,
EBRD, IMF and World Bank, which estimated highly its anti-crisis
program,’ the prime minister said, adding that the government’s
assistance was directed to mining companies, operating in the country’s
south, where many towns are one factory communities, in the form of
guarantees to secure their uninterrupted operation.

The government’s assistance was aimed also at supporting small
and medium sized businesses. As part of it 31,000 companies received
tax privileges.

"I think that the conclusions from the report will help the government
to carry through its reforms,’ the prime minister said.