Month: May 2008

GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS IT SECTOR

Panorama.am
18:02 14/05/2008

A proposals package is being drafted in Armenia to support the
small and average business representative to make investments in
information technologies sector, said Arsen Ghazaryan, the chairman of
the RA Industrial and business representatives union, in a conference
today. He said that in particular the creation of private or state
funds are discussed, which could have 20% participation in the process.

"The current questions are very important and they need to be discussed
in detailed," he said.

According to the chairman the mission of transferring the IT sector
in business field is improvement of making investments in the field
as well as getting much experience.

SECOND CONFERENCE ON COMPETITIVENESS AND INNOVATION OF ARMENIAN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES OPENS IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian government has set the goal
of implementing a rapid technological transformation of the country
and reducing the current technological gap, especially in terms of
information technologies, between Armenia and developed countries,
the RA minister of economy Nerses Yeritsian stated at the second
conference on competitiveness and innovation of Armenian IT. The
conference opened in Yerevan on May 14.

In his words, for this purpose several pilot programs are being
implemented in Armenia in order to lay the basis of state – private
sector cooperation in the IT sector’s development. The head of the
ministry – the event’s organizer expressed a hope that the conference
participants will identify the problems of IT sector’s development
and outline their solutions.

According to Hayley Alexander, director of the USAID-financed
Competitive Armenian Private Sector (CAPS) Project – another organizer
of the event, the conference aims to prepare IT companies’ entrance
into the financial market, as well as to discuss the regulation field
of their activities and problems related to the implementation of
investment and educational programs.

The director of the USAID Economic Development Office Rolf Anderson
attached special importance to assistance to the IT sector, saying
that sector has great potential in terms of contributing to Armenia’s
economic growth and its competitiveness. He said that from the
viewpoint of IT sector’s development level, Armenia is among leading
countries in the CIS and the Middle East. According to him, the United
States’ share in the investments in the IT sector amounts to 70%.

The first day of the conference was dedicated to subjects of
promoting IT competitiveness, including certification and protection
of copyright and intellectual property. The main developments in the
telecommunication sector were also presented.

A number of new and innovation products of Microsoft (MS Windows Server
2008, MS Visual Studio 2008, MS SQL Server 2008) will be displayed
on the second day of the conference. Special attention will be paid
to the models of optimization of Microsoft infrastructures as a form
for planning the development of IT capacities, as well as to the IT
sector’s several major tendencies which will have a transforming effect
on the infrastructures and use of software in the next 3-5 years.

The conference is being held in cooperation with the Union of IT
Enterprises of Armenia, the Armenian Association of Three-Dimensional
Modeling, the Association of Advanced Technology Experts and the
E-Content Association.

Among the event’s organizers are also Microsoft RA company and the
Enterprise Incubator Foundation.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AVERAGE PRICES OF APARTMENTS INCREASE BY 2.5% IN YEREVAN AND BY 6.4% IN MARZES IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2008 AS COMPARED WITH FOURTH QUARTER OF 2007

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. 35,085 real estate-related transactions
were concluded in the first quarter of 2008: their number grew by
14.1% on the same period of 2007 and declined by 25.4% on the 4th
quarter of 2007.

According to data of the State Committee of the Real Estate Cadastre
adjunct to the Armenian government, purchase-sales made up 84.2%,
donations – 14.8%, and exchanges – 0.9% of the total number of
alienation transactions (12,495). 30.9% of real estate alienation
transactions were done in Yerevan.

32.2% of alienated real estate were apartments.

The number of real estate alienation transaction declined by 3.3%
in the 1st quarter of 2008 as compared with the same period of last
year and by 29.8% as compared with the 4th quarter of 2007.

In the 1st quarter, 61% of real estate sale-purchase transactions in
Yerevan were transactions on sale-purchase of apartments. The number
of transactions on sale-purchase of apartments in Yerevan declined by
14.9% in the 1st quarter of 2008 on the 1st quarter of 2007 and by
35.8% as compared with the 4th quarter of 2007. The average market
prices of apartments sold in Yerevan grew by 2.5% per square meter
as compared with the 4th quarter of 2007.

In particular, the price of a square meter in Yerevan’s Kentron
community made about 472.4 thousand drams (about 1,523 USD), in Arabkir
– 387.6 thousand drams, Kanaker-Zeytun – 298.2 thousand drams, in
Nor Nork – 259 thousand drams, Avan – 259.4 thousand drams, Erebuni –
260 thousand drams, Shengavit – 269.2 thousand drams, Ajapniak – 264.5
thousand drams, Davitashen – 276.9 thousand drams, Malatia-Sebastia –
255.5 thousand drams, and in Nubarashen – 145.4 thousand drams.

1,253 apartments were sold in marzes (provinces), except Yerevan,
in the first quarter of 2008, which is less by 12.3% as compared with
the same period of 2007 and by 22.4% as compared with the 4th quarter
of 2007.

The average market prices of apartments in marzes grew by 6.4% in
the 1st quarter of 2008 on the 4th quarter of 2007. In particular,
the price of one square meter made (in thousand drams): in Ashtarak
– 115.3, in Aparan – 31.4, Talin – 43.9, Artashat – 97.5, Masis –
123.5, Vedi – 80.4, Ararat – 63.9, Nor Hachn – 115.1, Byureghavan –
88.6, Yeghvard – 106.8, Hrazdan – 60.7, Tsakhkadzor – 136, Jermuk –
121.5, Dilijan – 82.5, and Ijevan – 113.1

GASOLINE PRICE RISES BY 11.5%, DIESEL FUEL PRICE BY 24.5% IN ARMENIA IN PAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Prices of gasoline and diesel fuel rose
by 2.5% and 5.2% respectively in Armenia in April on March 2008.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the growth in
gasoline and diesel fuel prices made 11.5% and 24.5% respectively
in April 2008 on April 2007, and 3.3% and 7.5% respectively in April
2008 as compared with December 2007.

4.1% fall in fuel prices was registered in April on March 2008 in
connection with 5% fall of the price of liquid petroleum gas.

TARIFFS OF SERVICES INCREASE BY 2.6% IN ARMENIA IN APRIL 2008

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. 2.6% growth in the tariffs of services
was registered in Armenia in April on March 2008, mainly due to a
growth in tariffs of medical (5.3%), transport (4.3%) and public
catering services (3.4%).

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the tariffs of
educational, personal, legal and banking services grew by 0.1-1.3%
in the indicated period. At the same time, there was a decline in
tariffs of cultural (2.8%), communication (0.2%) and recreational
services (0.1%).

The tariffs of housing and municipal services remained at the level
of the previous month.

SETTLEMENT EXCHANGE EATE OF ARMENIAN DRAM AGAINST DOLLAR GROWS BY 1.7% IN APRIL 2008 AS COMPARED WITH DECEMBER 2007

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. There was 1.1% and 0.2% growth in
consumer prices and the settlment exchange rate of the Armenian dram
against the U.S. dollar in Armenia in April on March 2008.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the growth of
consumer prices and the exchange rate made 6% and 1.7% respectively in
April 2008 on December 2007. In the same period of last year, a 0.4%
fall in the settlement exchange rate was registered in parallel with
a 2.1% growth of consumer prices in Armenia.

The average settlement exchange rate of the Armenian dram against the
dollar made 309.14 drams in April 2008, which is by 14.9% lower than
the index of April 2007 (363.33 drams).

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION OF ARMENIA GROWS BY 0.2% IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2008 AS COMPARED WITH SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Industrial production of 168 bln 858.5
mln drams or over 548.1 mln USD in current prices was made in Armenia
in January-March 2008. Production of 167 bln 149.3 mln drams was sold,
including sales of 15 bln 308.7 mln drams in CIS countries and sales
of 36 bln 533.6 mln drams in other countries.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the industrial
production index made 100.2% as compared with January-March 2007, while
the same index without production and distribution of electricity,
gas and water made 98.3%.

NON-FOOD COMMODITY PRICES GROW BY 0.6% IN ARMENIA IN APRIL 2008

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The 0.6% inflation in Armenia’s non-food
commodity market in April on March 2008 was somewhat affected by the
growth in prices of gasoline (2.5%) and diesel fuel (5.2%).

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the prices of
building materials, cosmetics, stationery, textiles, furniture,
horticultural items, detergents and jewelry increased by 0.1-4.6%
in April on March 2008. In parallel with this, there was a fall in
prices of fuel (4.1% – in connection with a 5% fall in price of liquid
petroleum gas), cultural goods (2.3%) and medicines (0.3%). The level
of prices in the other commodity groups under observation remained
the same as compared with the previous month.

COMMERCIAL REVENUES OF PUBLIC TELEVISION AND RADIO COMPANY CONSIDERABLY INCREASE IN 2007

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The 2007 state budgetary allocations
for the Public Television and Radio Company were fully spent, the
chairman of the council of the Public Radio and Television Company
Alexan Harutyunian said at the May 14 joint sitting of the National
Assembly standing committees. According to him, 2.29 bln drams
(about 9.8 mln USD) envisaged for the Public Television and 690 mln
drams for the Public Radio were fully received.

The commercial revenues of the Public Television grew by 63.8 mln
drams as compared with 2006 and made 432 mln drams. Advertisement
revenues of the Public Radio declined somewhat in connection with
the suspension of Radio Liberty’s broadcasting.

The subject orientation of programs broadcast by the Public Radio
and Television Company was maintained. In particular, last year
the Public Television prepared 401.5 hours of cultural programs,
635 hours of diocumentary programs, 815 hours of social-economic
and social-political programs, 819 hours of information-analytical
programs and 59.5 hours of educational programs. The Public Radio
prepared 1,179 hours of information programs, 223 hours of political
and economic ones, and 415 hours of cultural programs.

FOOD PRICES GROW BY 7.8% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-APRIL 2008

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The tendency to inflation, which was
registered in Armenia’s food commodity market in the first three
months of 2008, continued in April. The four-month inflation made 7.8%.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, there was 0.6% growth
in food prices in April on March. In the indicated period, inflation
made 0.2-5.6% in 6 out of the 13 commodity groups under observation.

Prices of bread products grew by 41.3% in Armenia in April 2008 on
April 2007 and by 5.6% in April on March 2008. The latter index was
mainly conditioned by a growth in prices of flour of first quality
(5.9% growth) and high quality (9.2%), and by a growh in prices of
high-quality bread (5.6%), lavash (6.4%) and macaroni (7.3%).

Butter and vegetable oil prices increased by 38.5% in April 2008 on
April 2007 and by 4.6% in April on March 2008. The latter index was
mainly conditioned by a growth in prices of butter (6.3%) and vegetable
(sunflower) oil (5.7%).

4.6% inflation was registered in the commodity group of coffee,
tea and cocoa in April on March 2008, mainly due to a growth in
coffee prices. 2% inflation was registered in the commodity group of
meat products in April on March 2008, mainly due to a growth of the
prices of pork (9.1%) and beef (3.7%). Mutton prices fell by 4.2%
in the indicated period. The average price of eggs rose by 1.3% in
April on March 2008. Prices of alcoholic drinks and cigarettes grew
by 0.1%, those of soft drinks – by 0.2% in April on March 2008. 9.6%
price fall was registered in the commodity group of fish products in
April on March 2008, which was mainly due to a fall in the prices of
smoked and fresh white fish by 14.9% and 10.3% respectively.

Vegetable and potato prices fell by 14% in Armenia in April on March
2008 and by 7.2% in April 2008 on April 2007. There was a fall in
prices of herbs (31%), chives (28.9%), cucumber (21.2%), potato
(12.9%), cabage (12.75), tomato (11.7%), beet (9.4%), carrot (4.4%),
and garlic (3.1%) in April on March 2008.

2.3% inflation was registered in the fruit commodity group in
April 2008 on April 2007, while 1.1% price fall – in April on March
2008. Apple, pear, grape prices fell by 0.4-1.4% in April on March
2008, while prices of imported fruit such as tangerin, lemon, banana
and orange grew by 3.9-7.9%.

Prices of granulated sugar, milk products and confectionery fell by
0.1% in the country in April on March 2008.