EU transfers 1.5m euros to Armenian budget

EU transfers 1.5m euros to Armenian budget

Arminfo, Yerevan
9 Jul 04

YEREVAN

The European Commission has transferred the first tranche of 1.5m
euros to the Armenian budget under the food security programme
totalling 9.5m euros, Armenian Finance and Economy Minister Vardan
Khachatryan told a press conference today.

These funds have been given to agriculture, social security, the State
Land Survey, Property and National Statistics Services for several
years.

The minister said that the remaining 8m euros will be transferred in
two tranches by the end of 2004.

Speaking at the press conference, the head of the EU delegation in
Armenia and Georgia, Torben Holtze, said that the programme was very
important for enhancing the level of state management. He said that
this was already the eighth food security programme, which had been
realized in Armenia since 1997. As a whole, within the framework of
the programme, bearing in mind the transferred 1.5m euros, the EU has
given Armenia 68.5m euros. Holtze added that for the time being, the
sides are discussing the possibility of cooperation under this
programme for 2005-07. Armenia can count on receiving 9.5m euros per
year, he said.