WORLD BANK TO OFFER GOVERNMENT SUPPORT IN NAIRIT PLANT’S FUTURE: EMPLOYEES STILL WAITING FOR 18 MONTHS WORTH OF SALARIES
02.19.2015 13:18 epress.am
On February 19, the World Bank released a statement in which the
organization plans to support the Armenian government in the prolonged
dispute between the Nairit Rubber Plant and its employees.
“Armenia’s future economic growth highly depends on the development of
a vibrant modern knowledge-based economy, foreign direct investments,
and several other factors, including addressing adequately the
legacy of economic activities in the previous era. The organization
stated that they would help provide a “highly-respectable and
globally-experienced” consulting firm to look over the “technical
and financial viability” of the Nairit plant’s operations in order to
make significant decision for the plant’s future,” reads the statement.
World Bank Country Manager in Armenia Laura E. Bailey clarified saying
that “we have agreed with the Government to mobilize grant resources
of more than $110,000 from within the World Bank for the proposed
expertise that will ensure the quality of analyses the counterpart
needs from internationally recognized experts. We had hoped to have
the work begin in early February, but it took some time to ensure
that we selected the best possible experts.”
The rest of the statement lists details for their plans:
“Throughout the first phase, which is scheduled to begin on 25 February
and take two and a half months, the consulting firm will specifically
review four elements:
– An overview of the global market for the main products that could
be produced by the plant;
– An assessment of the technical feasibility of production based on
the existing plant;
– An assessment of the financial viability of production given current
cost structures; and
– A strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) analysis.
In the second phase, a basic environmental review of Nairit operations
will be undertaken.
The World Bank will provide close monitoring and quality review for
this analysis of Nairit, however we would like to clarify that this
analytical work will be conducted under the leadership of the Minister
for Energy and Natural Resources as part of the cooperation between
the Government of Armenia and the World Bank.”
Recall, Nairit employees have been protesting for over a year for 18
months of unpaid salaries by the failing factory. In recent months,
the workers were promised by the Minister of Energy and Nature
Protection Yervand Zakharyan that they would receive one month’s
salary by February 2, but were left unpaid. On Monday, the workers
demonstrated demanding their salaries in front of the Government
building and were told that their complaints would be responded to
on Friday, February 20, by the Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.