2003 WAS A BREAKTHROUGH
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
June 25 2003
The last meeting of the eighth session of the NKR National Assembly
adopted the government report on 2003 state budget performance. The
GDP grew by 20 percent and budget receipts by 18 percent. In fact,
budget receipts exceeded the expected number by 485 million 136
thousand drams. The members of parliament expressed anxiety connected
with the inappropriate and non-transparent expenditure of the
so-called proficit (NKR economy has budget deficit of 9.5 billion
drams which is met by the interstate loan provided by Armenia.), prime
minister of NKR A. Danielian said that this agitation of information
is first of all connected with the fact that the government did not
provide sufficient information to the parliament and the public. The
thing is that in 2003 about 125 million drams was spent for
acquisition of cars for the government agencies. The prime minister
mentioned that the state car park had not been innovated since
1999. This question was not in the agenda unless the proficit and it
was decided to solve the question once and for all. According to
Anoushavan Danielian, for the sake of economizing second-hand cars
were bought for the speaker ofthe National Assembly and the prime
minister. As to the accusations of the mass media that a month before
the end of the fiscal year the budget proficit was used for the
construction of the buildings for the government and the parliament
and the reconstruction of a number of roads, Anoushavan Danielian said
thatin order not to freeze the proficit means for a whole year the
government extended to the parliament the suggestion to include the
construction and repairs of a number of buildings in the plan of
2003. “As in December of 2003 means were provided for the construction
of the buildings for the parliament and the government we started the
projecting and estimate of costs and in the upcoming month the tender
will be held,” mentioned the prime minister adding that ifthe means
were transferred to the budget of 2004 the works would be postponed
for a year. Thus, according to him, the state means were used
effectively. It is another question to what extent it is appropriate
(be it a year later) to build new administrative buildings for the
government and the parliament. The prime minister admitted that the
government is to blame for what aims and how the state means will be
spent. Especially that part of those means were directed towards
gasification of most regions. Anoushavan Danielian announced that 2003
was a breakthrough for the Karabakh economy. What is more, for the
first time the main macroeconomic rates – the possibility of
forecasting several years before – can be concerned. The prime
minister especially mentioned about the growth of amount of production
which totaled 11 billion drams (against 4 billion in 2000). The
representative of the parliament faction of the Liberal Democratic
Union called to vote against the adoption of the report and the
representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation announced that
theyabstain. The report was adopted by 22 votes. 5 were against and 4
abstained. After the subscription the list of the evaders of military
service will be published.During the traditional meeting with the
government in the National Assembly memberof parliament Kamo
Barseghian reminded the prime minister about his promise to publish in
the newspapers the names of the famous people whose sons were
illegally released from military service. The prime minister mentioned
thatafter the subscription at the end of June he intends providing the
list to the mass media. During the briefing in answer to the question
of Ararat Petrossian why there is not a hatchery it was informed that
instead of the former hatcheryin Stepanakert the construction of an
apartment building will start in 2005. Member of parliament Levon
Hayrian addressed to the police asking to explain why in the rivers of
Karabakh in particular Ishkhanaget explosives are used for fishing and
especially by adolescents. Besides the ecological harm it is also
dangerous for their life. The vice head of the NKR police Arshavir
Gharamian promised to attend to this question and suggested the member
of the National Assembly to offer facts known to him. In 2005 either
Hadrout or Martakert will be supplied with gas. In answer to Arpik
Khasapetian when gas will reach Hadrout, prime minister Anoushavan
Danielian mentioned that the construction of the high-pressure gas
pipeline in the section Togh-Hadrout was estimated 420 million
drams. Now the estimate of construction of the medium pressure
pipeline is done, which will cost twice cheaper. He emphasized that
after the estimate is ready they will decide where to build the
pipeline first, in Hadrout or in Martakert. In any case the prime
minister stated that in 2007 all the worksof gasification will be
completed. The parliament adopted the changes in the law “On excise
tax” according to which the products with illegal excise stamps
willnot be destroyed as maintained by the law. The head of the state
tax service Hakob Ghahramanian mentioned that these will be withdrawn
from circulation in other ways. If these products are fit for use,
these will be priced, sold and the receipts will go to the state
budget. According to the changes made to the law “On added value tax”
tourism business is exempt from the VAT. At the briefing member of
parliament Ararat Petrossian made a statement that no investments were
made in the Stepanakert factory of building materials privatized for
the aim of rehabilitation. No jobs were created and, what is more, the
equipment is dismantled and sold, and the personnel expects new
dismissals. As a former worker of the factory the member of parliament
asked to think for the personnel of the factory. Member of parliament
Levon Hayrian proposed to introduce a change in the law “On the
repressed” which supposes the possibility of providing the status of
the repressed without the reference of the judicial organ which
reached the verdict. The member of parliament explained that according
to the law in effect the repressed has to present a document from the
court which reached the verdict. In the years of the Movement many
citizens of NKR appeared in Azerbaijani prisons where they were kept
without trial and verdict. Receiving references from corresponding
Azerbaijani bodies seems impossible. Therefore the people who suffered
in prison suffer twice. The change to the bill was adopted at the
first reading. The bill will be discussed in the next session by the
second reading in September.
NAIRA HAYRUMIAN.
25-06-2004