Month: November 2009

VTB BANK (ARMENIA) TO INCREASE CREDIT PORTFOLIO UP TO $200 MLN TILL THE END OF 2009

ArmInfo
2009-11-11 12:21:00

ArmInfo. VTB Bank (Armenia) is going to increase its credit portfolio
up to $200 mln till the end of 2009, Director General of the bank,
Valeriy Ovsyannikov, told ArmInfo correspondent.

He also added that over the current year the bank drew special
attention to raising of the quality of the main indices. ‘I think
that the year of 2010 will become crucial for the bank as we are
going to increase the volumes and occupy the leading positions’, –
Ovsyannikov said.

According to the Ranking of Armenian commercial bank prepared by
ArmInfo, as of 1 June of the current year the credit portfolio of
the VTB Bank (Armenia) amounted to $187.6 mln and the bank occupied
the 3-rd place in the banking system of Armenia. To note, the Russian
VTB Bank is the owner of the VTB Bank (Armenia).

SEMNEBY: THERE COULD BE A BREAKTHROUGH IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

armradio.am
10.11.2009 12:12

"It’s good that the Armenian-Turkish talks have moved from a dead
point. Opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey could be the
first step towards overcoming the abnormal situation, when three of
the longest borders of the region are closed: the Armenian-Turkish,
the Armenian-Azerbaijani and the Russian-Georgian. It hinders normal
development," EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus peter
Semneby said in an interview with Russian Kommersant daily.

"Today the Armenian-Turkish talks have reached a point, where there
can be a breakthrough. Sure, the process of ratification is going
to be hard. But it proceeds from the interests of both Armenia and
Turkey. I’m confident that in the long perspective it is in the
interest of Azerbaijan, because it is also interested in the opening
of borders in the region. The war in Georgia demonstrated that the
countries of the South Caucasus are vulnerable. This vulnerability
can be relieved only after the problems are solved," Semneby said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN DEPUTY FM MEETS SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE EUROPEAN MOVEMENT INTERNATIONAL

armradio.am
10.11.2009 15:23

On November 10 the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, Karine
Ghazinyan, received Diogo Pinto, Secretary General of the European
Movement International.

Greeting the guest, Deputy Minister Ghazinyan rated highly the
contribution of the European Movement International to the spread of
European values and creation of a united Europe.

For his part, Diogo Pinto attached importance to Armenia’s consistency
in the process of integration with European structures, emphasizing
the role of the European Armenian Movement in the spread of European
values.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the EU Eastern Partnership
Program, noting that it possesses a great potential for the cooperation
between the EU and the countries included in the program and the
multilateral regional cooperation. In this context Karine Ghazinyan
stressed that the program provides a good opportunity for Armenia to
come closer to European family

During the meeting reference was made to the process of normalization
of the Armenian-Turkish relations, as well as on a number of regional
and international issues.

CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA LEAVES REFINANCING RATE UNCHANGED AT 5%

ARKA
Nov 11, 2009

YEREVAN, November 11, /ARKA/. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) decided
Tuesday to leave unchanged its refinancing rate at 5%, the CBA’s press
office said to ARKA. The press office said inflation rate grew by 0.5%
in October against September. As a result the annual inflation rate
rose to 3.5%.

A statement by the Central Bank said inflation behavior and processes
in macroeconomic environment were in tune with its earlier forecasts.

Moderate external inflationary pressures continued throughout the
period caused by the growing trend of world prices for mining and
some food products.

On September 8, 2009 the Central Bank of Armenia lowered the
refinancing rate by 0.25 percentage points to 5%. It was the seventh
consecutive lowering of the refinancing rate since March 3 when the
Central Bank reversed to the floating exchange rate of the national
currency Dram against hard currencies raising also the refinancing
rate by one percentage point to 7.75%.

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ARMENIA, HUNGARY MEET IN BUDAPEST

armradio.am
10.11.2009 16:10

Within the framework of the visit to Hungary, the Foreign Minister
of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, met with his Hungarian counterpart
Peter Balash. This was the fifth meeting of the two Foreign Ministers
this year.

Ministers Nalbandian and Balash noted that the state visit of the
Armenian President to Hungary demonstrates the importance the two
countries attach to the deepening and reinforcement of bilateral
friendly relations.

Edward Nalbandian and Peter Balash voiced confidence that the
implementation of the agreements reached during the visit would
seriously promote the further development of cooperation.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Hungary exchanged views on issues
of bilateral cooperation in different spheres. They discussed the
ongoing processes in the European Union and the latest developments
in the South Caucasus.

VTB BANK ARMENIA TO SHIFT FOCUS FROM QUALITY OF SERVICES TO THEIR VOLUMES NEXT YEAR

ARKA
Nov 11, 2009

YEREVAN, November 11, /ARKA/. Valery Ovsyanikov, director general and
chairman of VTB Bank Armenia, said Tuesday the bank plans next year
to shift its focus from improving the quality of services to raising
their volumes and will seek to become the leading bank in this sense.

Speaking to journalists after the inauguration of a new branch of the
bank in Armenia’s second largest town of Gyumri, he said the bank’s
focus this year has been on raising the quality of service.

"I think next year will be a crucial one for us in terms of the volume
of our services. I think we shall not have problems and will easily
take up the leading position, but we shall not overlook the quality
of our services’ he said.

All 100% of shares of VTB Bank Armenia are owned by the second largest
Russian Bank VTB. Bank VTB Armenia has 74 branches across Armenia.

ARA NRANYAN: ARMENIA HAS FOUND ITSELF OUT OF THE GAME
Nelly Danielyan

"Radiolur"
10.11.2009 16:32

"During the visits to marzes we found out that more than half of the
Armenian population is unaware of the process of normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations. They receive a lot of false information,
unlike the residents of the capital, member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun
faction Ara Nranyan told a press conference today.

He noted that the visits to marzes aim at elucidating the local
population. According to Ara Nranyan, Armenia has given all its tools
and levers to Turkey, therefore it has found itself out of the game.

"If this continues this way, I do not rule out that the political
majority will understand that it will hit them, as well," he said.

NO VIOLATION OF CEASE-FIRE REGIME REGISTERED

armradio.am
10.11.2009 16:47

In accordance with an earlier achieved agreement with the NKR
authorities the OSCE mission conducted Á regular monitoring of the
line of contact of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijani Armed Forces
near Horadiz settlement, Press Service of the NKR Ministry of Foreign
Affairs reported.

>From the positions of the NKR Defense Army the monitoring group
was headed by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office
(CiO), Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk. The monitoring group involved Field
Assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE CiO Peter Kee
(Great Britain), Irji Aberle (the Czech Republic) and Zhaslan Nurtazin
(Kazakhstan).

No violation of cease-fire regime was registered. The monitoring
mission from the Karabakhi side was accompanied by representatives
of the NKR Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SOME 21.2 BILLION DRAMS EARMARKED FOR TREATMENT OF PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS AND CLINICS IN 2010

ARKA
Nov 11, 2009

YEREVAN, November 11, /ARKA/. Armenian health minister Harutyun
Kushkian said Tuesday the draft 2010 budget has earmarked 21.2 billion
Drams for treatment of patients in hospitals and clinics. Speaking at
a news conference he said this will be enough to ensure 215,00 berths.

In his words, the average cost of a one-day treatment of a patient
will rise by 8% from 2009 to 12,400 Drams. He said also the average
salary of senior medics next year will not changed and will remain
62,00 Drams and that of lower staff will remain 49,000 Drams.

The minister said also his agency will continue next year
implementation of a project designed to modernize the sector, backed
by a World Bank loan. The project will kick off in December this
year and run throughout next year. The funds, 4.3 billion Drams,
will be used for compete reconstruction of hospitals in Hrazdan,
Ijevan, Armavir, Aparan, Goris and Gavar.

He said next year the ministry will launch also construction of a
new building for the central hospital of Gyumri and in 2-3 years the
second largest town of Armenia will have a modern hospital furnished
with up-to-date equipment and trained personnel.

The 2010 draft budget has earmarked a total of 55.1 billion Drams as
healthcare spending.

($1 – 387.72 Drams).

UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR VISITS THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

armradio.am
10.11.2009 17:06

On November 10 Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Hovik
Abrahamyan received the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Permanent
Representative to Armenia Consuelo Vidal, who is completing her
mission in our country.

The Armenian Parliament Speaker expressed gratitude to Mrs. Vidal
for the close cooperation over the past years. Hovik Abrahamyan noted
that the Armenian authorities are grateful for the support rendered
by different UN structures.

At the end of the meeting Mr. Abrahamyan wished success to Consuelo
Vidal in all her endeavors and expressed hope that she would uphold
the friendly ties with our country even upon the completion of her
term in office.