NO CONCRETE SCHEDULES ARE GIVEN IN PRE-ELECTION PROGRAMS OF FOUR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, ECONOMIST SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Jan 24, 2008
YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. No concrete schedules are given in
the economic part of the pre-election programs of four candidates
for the RA presidency, which allows these candidates to avoid
responsibility. The director of the National Center of Applied
Economics Sergei Bagratian expressed this opinion at the January 23
press conference. He gave, in particular, an analysis of the economic
sections of the pre-election programs of four candidates.
All these programs envisage a rise of salaries and penshions but
almost nothing is said about development of a specific industrial
sector. According to S. Bagratian, only Levon Ter-Petrosian attaches
importance to development of high technologies, although it is
considered one of the priorities of the government strategy.
One of the innovations in the program of the RA prime minister,
presidential candidate Serge Sargsian is implementation of
second-generation reforms.
However, it is not indicated in detail what reforms should be made. It
is not stated either what kind of changes are envisaged for business
development. S. Bagratian said that according to the pre-election
program of this candidate, the economic development rates will remain
the same.
The program of another presidential candidate, Vahan Hovannesian,
attaches importance to the role of the state in economic policy and
to increasing the involvement of the population in the economy.
The presidential candidate Artashes Geghamian has compared Armenia’s
economic development indices in various years, as well as with
the respective indices of neighboring countries. According to him,
Armenia’s economic devlopment is proceeding slowly as compared with
neighboring countries. For example, in 2006, a billion dollars was
invested in Azerbaijan over 6 weeks, whereas 450 million dollars was
invested in Armenia in a year.
The novelty of the pre-election program of Levon Ter-Petrosian is
proposals to continue the use of simplified tax, to ensure an even
distribution of the tax burden and the legality and transparency
in organization of auctions. S. Bagratian pointed out that the
pre-election program of this candidate attaches special importance
to compulsory insurance of agricultural produce and elimination of
the monopoly on the import of goods.
In the opinion of S. Bagratian, 70% of the pre-election programs
should be well-grounded, while 30% should be related to the person
of the given presidential candidate.