What Will our Economy Be Like in 2012?

WHAT WILL OUR ECONOMY BE LIKE IN 2012?
SHUSHAN MATEVOSYAN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 09, 2008
Armenia

Interview with the member of ARFD parliamentary faction Artsvik
Minasyan.

`The government program aimed at the implementation of reforms in our
country was characterized in deferent ways in the National Assembly. In
your opinion to what extent is the program realistic?’

`It is good you didn’t say `what would you call¦?’ because I usually
avoid giving names to documents. Each document must envisage specific
goals and tasks, and propose concrete solutions to those issues. In
this term the government program includes news ideas, unlike the
previous program there is a certain unification of five pan-national
programs.

According to the Prime Minister by the implementation of the five
pan-national programs Armenia will most probably become a financial,
business, health and cultural center in the region. The goal can be
considered wonderful. But there are no resources and directions
mentioned in this program to achieve the before mentioned goal.

The first guarantee of the implementation of any goal is public trust.
The public must see and feel the idea and trust it. In this regard, I
think, our government has lots of work to do. Each of us must assist
the newly formed government. I’m really concerned about Armenia’s
economic development. Of course it is good to be a regional center or
to have such aspirations, but when we look at the five pan-national
programs we notice that nearly all of them involve the sphere of
service. Unfortunately, the sphere of material production either lacks
or it makes a very small part of the program.

Which means, by trying to render qualitative services in the region,
our country is facing the high risk of fall. Because every service can
be free and qualitative in case there is no conflict in the region. But
the situation is quite the opposite in our region. The second matter of
concern is that the program doesn’t give the clear picture of our
future economy. After all what will the economy be like in Armenia in
2012? How will we manage to solve the employment issue? What will be
the picture of social protection? Of course the state must always do
the maximum, but as a representative of a socialist power I believe
every document must clearly show the role and the participation of the
state.’