Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) November 28, 2017 Tuesday Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II: Syrian people will defeat terrorism maya Yerevan,SANA- Patriarch of All Armenians Catholicos Karekin II said that the Armenian Apostolic Church representatives do not miss a chance at the Ecclesiastical forums to call for supporting the Syrian people, affirming that the Armenian government backs Syria in the fight against terrorism. “The new reports about Syria stir hope that settling the crisis in Syria is short and all Syrian people would take part in the reconstruction process,” Patriarch Karekin added during a meeting with the Syrian Ambassador in Armenia, Muhammad Haj Ibrahim. He pointed out that the Armenian community in Syria is considered as the largest in the Middle East and the Armenian people have lived in peace along with the Syrian people. Karekin recalled his visit to Syria many years ago and what he felt of prosperity and safety in the country. The Syrian Ambassador, for his part, asserted that the Armenians are inseparable part of the Syrian society, adding that Syria is going on in combatting terrorism and reconstructing the country.
Author: Hambik Zargarian
Nikol Pashinyan: Serzh Sargsyan has decided to attach the Government in 2018 (video)
“At this time we will recapture some of the Soviet Union’s sayings, the most famous of them and seasonal is “There is no lemon, mandarin, I condemn such New Year”, Nikol Pashinyan began his speech at the discussion of the draft, suggested by the Yelk (Way Out), on the process of withdrawal from the EAEU, at the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs today. – For importing 5 kg mandarin from Georgia, 4 kg papers must be attached, and this is the EAUA’s recent achievement. Of course, we have a free trade agreement with Georgia and can import not only 5, but even 6, 7, 8 kg of mandarin, but for that you need phytosanitary, nuclear, chemical, biological and many other references. In other words, when a person wants to buy mandarins with 1000 drams, he has to spend 5000 drams: go to Tbilisi, get the phytosanitary paper and return to Armenia.”
Nikol Pashinyan said that Serzh Sargsyan had decided to attack the Government in 2018, and this was why the document was signed with the EU.
Details are available in the video
Sarkisian Says Any Resolution Must Include Karabakh’s Right to Self-Determination
President Serzg Sarkisian at the EU’s Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels on Nov. 24
BRUSSELS—Soon after attending the signing of the landmark Armenia-European Union Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on Friday in the Belgian capital, President Serzh Sarkisian addressed the Eastern Partnership Summit, where he said that any solution to the Karabakh conflict would be impossible without ensuring that the people of Artsakh are able to exercise their right to self-determination.
“The position of the international community on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is reflected in the statements issued by the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries. In this context, any solution to the conflict without the exercise of Nagorno-Karabakh people’s right to self-determination is simply impossible,” said Sarkisian.
He also pointed out that his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, continues to make statements, in which the realities of the Karabakh conflict resolution process are distorted, reminding the summit participants that the resolution of the Karabakh conflict is based on three principles of international law: non-use of force or threat of force, territorial integrity and the peoples’ right to self-determination, all of which he said were proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, “which is the only structure vested with an international mandate.”
Sarkisian also stressed that no other international body has made decisions regarding the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, a fact that Azerbaijan continues to skew in its statement by making reference to resolution by the United Nations on the matter. Sarkisian clarified that the only resolutions that were approved by the UN in 1993, centered on the ceasing of hostilities during the Karabakh war, adding that Azerbaijan continues to be hostile by continuously violating the cease fire agreement.
He began his remarks at the Eastern Partnership Summit by praising the hard work and the eventual signing of CEPA.
“This Agreement [CEPA] is not merely a legal document, but a reflection on the wealth of values of human rights and fundamental freedoms that we share. Important elements of the strengthening of democracy such as rule of law, consolidation of judiciary, development of public and social institutes, good governance are the core of this Agreement. The efficient realization of these elements is of vital importance for our nation in order to implement successfully the envisaged reforms. It is exactly the development based on these shared values that ensures the long-lasting and sustainable development for any responsible member of the international community. I thank the leadership of the European Union for the support provided throughout this process,” said Sarkisian.
“The importance of this Agreement is not limited to the Armenia-EU relations: many international counterparts of ours describe Armenia as a nation that brings various integration processes closer to each other, a nation that is led by desire to reconcile and complement interests in the spirit of cooperation and cohabitation, and it is something that seriously obliges us to meet the expectation. I would like to underline that throughout this process the objective Armenia pursued from the very outset was further deepening of our bilateral and multilateral relations,” added Sarkisian.
Sports: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho plays down talk of a rift with Henrikh Mkhitaryan
The Independent (United Kingdom) Wednesday 12:35 PM GMT Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho plays down talk of a rift with Henrikh Mkhitaryan The Armenian international was left out of United's match-day squad for the impressive 4-1 win over Newcastle United, but Mourinho has rubbished any talk of a rift between the pair by Luke Brown Jose Mourinho has flatly denied there is a rift between him and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The Manchester United manager surprisingly opted to leave the Armenian forward out of his match-day squad for the 4-1 victory over Newcastle United , leading to speculation that there was an issue between the pair. Mkhitaryan watched the match from the stands but Mourinho has insisted his decision was based purely on form and that it wouldn't be long before the 28-year-old was back in his starting team. "The story is always the same. In some positions, when you don't have injuries, you have lots of options in other positions,"Mourinho said, speaking ahead of United's Champions League Group A match against Basel. Read more Who can the English teams draw in the Champions League last 16? "In this moment, we have Pogba, Marouane Fellaini, Ander Herrera, Nemanja Matic and Scott McTominay. "So I can imagine, next week, you are going to ask - why is this player not playing? "Micki is not playing because we had lots of options for that match. I decided to play Marcus Rashford and Martial together. "For many weeks, the question was - why do they not play together? Now, the question is why is Micki not playing. "The answer is very simple - until the international board change the rules, I can only start with 11!"
Film: Young Filmmakers in Vanadzor Ask, ‘Where Are We Going?’
The Armenian Weekly
Nov 17 2017
A still from the film “Where Are We Going?” by Grigor Poghosyan, where the main character, Aren Voskanyan, discusses hardships young artists face in Vanadzor with filmmaker and musician, Erik Khanoyan.
Special to the Armenian Weekly
Grigor Poghosyan, a 21-year-old filmmaker from Vanadzor, compares his hometown to Detroit, and even plays me a song by Eminem to illustrate his point. He’s never been there, but he has seen its frequent cameos in popular film and music.
Vanadzor, the third-largest city in Armenia and the subject of Poghosyan’s recent film, “Where Are We Going?” was once—like Detroit—a thriving industrial town. Its factories have since closed and its residents have not yet recovered from the traumas of economic collapse.
In 1979, Vanadzor, then known by its Soviet-era name, Kirovakan, had a population of nearly 150,000. By 2011, that number had been halved. As in the rest of Armenia, many of those who could, left to work abroad, usually to Russia.
A still from a montage in film “Where Are We Going?” by Grigor Poghosyan, which documents some of the consequences of economic collapse in Vanadzor
Unemployment is high in Armenia’s remote towns, and times are especially tough for those in the 18-35 age demographic, but prospects are nearly impossible for artists like Poghosyan and his band of close-knit friends from film school.
“Where Are We Going,” a collaborative project which was filmed on a $40 budget, had its premiere earlier this year at the Golden Apricot Film Festival, in Yerevan. Poghosyan initially submitted it as his thesis project in film school. It features current and former students at the Vanadzor campus of the Yerevan State Institute of Theater and Cinematography—young people who see themselves as artists with a calling, for whom the creation of art is not a choice but an inevitability.
A still from Grigor Poghosyan’s film “Where Are We Going?”
Blending melancholy montages of the city viscerally depicting the economic depression and disrepair that has characterized Vanadzor since Armenia’s independence, “Where Are We Going?” cuts intermittently between philosophical conversations with Poghosyan’s friends and fellow filmmakers about themes ranging from young people’s personal aspirations to the meaninglessness of war and endemic government corruption. But Poghosyan most directly expresses his own feelings in a tableau vivant—the first scene he ever envisioned for the film.
A still of the tableau vivant from the film “Where Are We Going?”
That take, which was inspired by a scene from a Jean-Luc Godard film, shows his friends scattered over an abandoned lot, reading newspapers and shouting the words that so frequently appear in them: “freedom,” “war,” “patriarchy.”
The filmmaker has only ever lived in a post-industrial Vanadzor, and “Where Are We Going?” is a testament to his conflicted relationship with the city. His grandmother worked in one of the fabric factories that closed its doors after the USSR’s collapse. His mother, a divorcée, was forced to leave Armenia in 2009 to find work to support the family, leaving Poghosyan to be raised by his grandmother, who filled his head with stories of a past life in a lively society that rewarded industriousness and where work was abundant.
A still from the film “Where Are We Going,” depicting the city’s dilapidated aesthetic
Aesthetically, the film paints a picture of Vanadzor very different from the one Poghosyan’s grandmother knew. Shots of the city’s beautiful architecture and scenic mountains are frequently interrupted with images of overflowing garbage bins or the dirty interior of an ancient bus.
Children in Vanadzor play in an abandoned Soviet-era Niva. A still from the film “Where Are We Going?”
At the same time, Vanadzor’s youth hold a deep reverence for the hardships they have endured and, ultimately, don’t wish to leave. At one point, the film’s main narrator, Aren Voskanyan, a former student of the same cinematography institute and a close remarks, “No one wants to do anything in this city. Neither do I. That’s why nothing changes.” It’s then that you hear Poghosyan speak from behind the camera for the first time, though we never see him, “That’s what’s cool about it.”
In our interview, Poghosyan points out that the very lack of infrastructure in Vanadzor is also the reason it provides a climate in which art can thrive: “There is nothing to do here. After 6 [p.m.], there is no more transportation. This is probably why so many people work in art… The abandoned atmosphere, with the ruined buildings and beautiful mountains in the background, forces you to think and to feel.”
“I’m thankful for how I see life and how I feel the world.”
He says it was a regular conversation that inspired the bulk of the film. “We were just walking, and I took out the camera and started filming him,” he explains. “Then I decided to film him a second day, then a third, and then I understood that all of this was about us and the town.”
Behind-the-scenes of the film “Where Are We Going?” (Photo courtesy of Grigor Poghosyan)
The film was shot as Poghosyan was about to graduate, and was facing the prospect of serving in the military. The anxiety and uncertainly about that specific unknowable future is palpable throughout the film. One of the characters repeatedly exclaims throughout the film, “2,200 died in the army,” referencing the official statistic regarding Armenian military deaths since 1994.
Armenia has a conscript army, and most Armenian men must serve once they reach the age of 18. However, those who receive a university scholarship may defer their army service to after they complete their degree (a law that will be changing soon). As of now, Poghosyan, who has vision problems, still does not know whether he will be deemed fit to serve.
Quite a few obstacles in Armenia prevent young filmmakers from successfully pursuing their passions—ranging from complex regulations for receiving funding to limited support from more established filmmakers, and even just the prospect of leaving Vanadzor. In a conversation, Voskanyan and a fellow film student discuss fears about moving to Yerevan with no money or prospects. It’s a task that seems insurmountable, as there is no guarantee of success. Even so, there are no other options. As Voskanyan says in the film, “It’s hard, but it’s possible. And if it’s possible, it has to be done.”
Though the response to the film from festivals has been positive, Poghosyan still is not completely satisfied with his work. “I don’t think it’s a great film. It’s not the film of my dreams,” he laments, “It has a lot of issues in it…. Sound is horrible, the frames are not focused, and much of the film is without stabilization. It was an experiment. This experiment became bigger than I imagined.” Yet what he considers “middling professionalism” might actually be responsible for some of the film’s most compelling elements.
The shaky camera movements, the planned mishmash of audio, the combination of extreme closeups and wide shots all reinforce the feeling of authenticity in the film and actually lend it a sense of restlessness. Poghosyan is not just an objective observer documenting his subjects. He is one of them, and he is just as restless and uncertain as they are.
Though the film portrays a somewhat despondent picture of modern Vanadzor, Poghosyan contends that his desire to make art is, in fact, radically patriotic. “It’s not about leaving, it’s about going toward an unknowable future.” Ultimately, he hopes it will give those in the Diaspora a more complete and complex view of Armenia, beyond Yerevan’s downtown or the country’s ubiquitous monasteries.
“It’s important for me to make them see something different: young, underground people trying to create something, and thinking about big things, despite the difficult social conditions.”
“Where Are We Going?” will have its North American premiere at the Toronto Hamazkayin Pomegranate Film Festival. It will also be screened at the Asian Film Center’s Global Fest in Kolkata.
View the “Where Are We Going?” trailer, below.
Rep. Smith Speaks at Preview of Exhibit Commemorating Genocide Victims, Survivors
Targeted News Service Tuesday 5:04 AM EST Rep. Smith Speaks at Preview of Exhibit Commemorating Genocide Victims, Survivors MONMOUTH COUNTY, N.J. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., issued the following news release: Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) spoke on Sunday at the preview and ribbon cutting of a new exhibit commemorating the victims and survivors of three different genocides, at the Center for Holocaust, Human Rights & Genocide Education (Chhange). The exhibit, "Journeys Beyond Genocide: The Human Experience," is housed on the campus of Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ. It is a dynamic exhibition featuring powerful testimonies of local Holocaust and genocide survivors, and showcases their archival items. Over 100 people attended the VIP preview of the exhibit, which covers three previous genocides: the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, and the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi people in Rwanda. "The promise of the genocide convention remains unfulfilled," said Smith, who in 2000 held the first-ever U.S. hearing on the Armenian Genocide of 1915, as part of an attempt to pass a Congressional resolution recognizing the atrocities committed against the Armenians as a genocide. "The goals of the genocide convention of 1948 are to prevent and punish genocide. Prevent. We have failed. We need to do more," Smith said on Sunday. He went on the say that, "It is my hope that exhibits such as this will educate and hopefully sensitize more and more people, including our young people, to realize that they have a stake in this." The Center for Holocaust, Human Rights & Genocide Education at Brookdale Community College was founded in 1979. It seeks to educate students and residents in the area about the history of genocide and human rights, and has previously hosted genocide survivors as volunteers and as speakers. "We do not study the past because we love old things. We study the past because it can serve as a compass to help us understand the world in which we live today, and to navigate our way to the world to which we seek to give shape," Dr. Deborah Dwork, Rose Professor of Holocaust History at Clark University and Founding Director of the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, stated. "Journeys Beyond Genocide: The Human Experience is just such a compass." Dr. Dwork helped put the exhibit together. Included among the intimate reflections and personal items on display at the exhibit is a quote that Smith made on April 12, 2015, at the opening of Chhange's 100th anniversary commemorative exhibit on the Armenian genocide. "Genocide is the most terrible crime a people can undergo, or another people can commit. It must never be forgotten-to forget it would be to dull our consciences and diminish our own humanity. The campaign to deny this [Armenian] genocide. . .keeps the Armenian genocide a burning issue and prevents much needed healing of old wounds. . . .We must write and speak the truth so that generations to come will not repeat the mistakes of the past. Only 20 Nations around the world have recognized the Armenian Genocide. That includes Canada as well as eleven EU countries. . . . Conspicuously absent from the list of nations that have officially recognized the Armenian Genocide is the United States of America. . . .When political leaders fail to lead or denounce violence, the void is not only demoralizing to the victims but silence actually enables the wrongdoing. . .History has taught us that silence is not an option. We must do more." This document was posted showing the date: Nov. 13, 2017. Contact: Matt Hadro, 202/226-6373
Talk about vintage: Pottery shards show 8,000-year-old wine
Associated Press State & Local
November 13, 2017 Monday 8:16 PM GMT
Talk about vintage: Pottery shards show 8,000-year-old wine
By MALCOLM RITTER, AP Science Writer
DATELINE: NEW YORK
NEW YORK (AP) - Talk about vintage wine: Pieces of broken pottery
found in the nation of Georgia provide the earliest known evidence for
the origins of today's winemaking industry.
The eight shards, recovered from two sites about 30 miles (50
kilometers) south of Tbilisi, are roughly 8,000 years old. That's some
600 to 1,000 years older than the previous record, revealed by a wine
jar found in nearby Iran.
It's not the oldest sign of winemaking; other evidence shows that a
beverage that mixed grape wine with rice beer and other ingredients
was produced as long as 9,000 years ago in China.
But the Chinese drink used a wild grape that has apparently never been
domesticated, while the Georgian wine used a Eurasian grape species
that did undergo domestication and led to the vast majority of wine
consumed today, said researcher Patrick McGovern.
It's not clear whether the ancient Georgian vintners were using a
domesticated form, but it's possible because they apparently made lots
of wine, he said.
McGovern, from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology
and Anthropology in Philadelphia, is part of an international team
that produced the new report. The findings were released Monday by the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The new analysis showed the shards had absorbed the main chemical
fingerprint of wine, tartaric acid, as well as some other substances
associated with the beverage. The shards had come from jars that were
probably used for fermentation and storage.
The study was largely financed by the National Wine Agency of Georgia.
The nation continues to produce wine and considers it part of the
national identity.
"It is very interesting that during this 8,000 years there was no
interruption of wine-making tradition," said Shalva Khetsuriani, head
of the Sommelier Association of Georgia.
The finding is "very significant" because it gives new evidence that
the origins of winemaking should be sought in the region, said Gregory
Areshian, an archaeology professor at the American University of
Armenia who did not participate in the work. In 2011, Areshian
reported the discovery of a 6,000-year-old winery in Armenia.
400 Educators Participate in Prelacy Schools’ Professional Development Day Conference
Board of Regents Members with Archbishop Mardirossian and Dr. Kaloust Hagopian, Executive Council Member
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—The Board of Regents of Prelacy Armenian Schools held its 2017-2018 Annual Professional Development Day (APDD) conference on Saturday, October 28th at California State University, Northridge.
This year’s APDD, which has been taking place for over fifteen years, was once again organized in cooperation with CSUN’s Armenian Studies Program. Alongside the Prelacy Armenian Schools and Preschools, the conference also included teachers and faculty from Sahag Mesrob Armenian Christian School, Armenian Sisters Academy, Charlie Keyan Armenian Community School of Fresno and Armenian Relief Society Saturday Schools, bringing the number of participants to over 400.
Dr. Hasmig Baran, Board of Regents member, welcomed all the participants to this year’s APDD and invited Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, to deliver the invocation. In his address, the prelate emphasized the significance of ongoing professional development. Archbishop Mardirossian stated, “Competent and well-performing teachers are the most valuable assets to any educational institution, and can have a great impact on the quality of education. Thus, it is crucial for both new and veteran teachers to have adequate support and training and ongoing opportunities to learn from each other, as well as to keep up-to-date on new learning methods and resources, emerging technology, and more.
Lisa Gaboudian, Chairwoman of the Board of Regents of Prelacy Armenian Schools, welcomed the educators and expressed her appreciation for the level of dedication and commitment from all the participants. After commending the attending Armenian Daily Schools and Preschools and their respective Principals and Directors, she thanked Dr. Vahram Shemmassian, Director of the Armenian Studies Program at CSUN, for working in tangent with the Board of Regents and for once again hosting the Annual Professional Development Day conference. During her remarks, Gaboudian underscored the importance of “teachers becoming learners themselves” and the significance of instilling Armenian principles and values in students while also preparing them to become well-rounded and outstanding Armenian-American citizens. She asked the participants to think about the following quotation from John Meehan, “We are not ‘just’ teachers, we are managers of the world’s greatest resources: CHILDREN.”
Some of the 400 participants at the Prelacy Board of Regents annual Professional Development Conference
The keynote address of the day was delivered by Mrs. Vivian Ekchian, Associate Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Mrs. Ekchian, who is not a stranger to the Prelacy Schools, shared her dual experiences within both the Armenian and non-Armenian communities and highlighted the opportunities these conferences provide for teachers to grow both personally and professionally. She qualified teachers as “heroes” who dedicate their time, energy and expertise educating the next generation of adults. She asked teachers to carry on their responsibilities with pride.
Following the keynote address, Suren Seropian, Director of Development – College of Humanities at CSUN, shared the logistics for the day, including a general overview of the scheduled sessions and their presenters.
An unprecedented variety of topics were presented by experts in their own fields and many Prelacy Armenian school teachers.
- Effective Communication with Press & Media – Ara Khachatourian
- Teaching Language Through Song – Dr. Karenn Chutjian Presti
- The Art of Communication and Effective Listening – Nora Chitilian Kalachian
- The Psychological Effects of Bullying and Prevention Programs – Natalie Jambazian
- Educational Apps – Dr. Brian Landisi
- Differentiated Instruction – Ari Ryan Sarafian
- RTI – Interventions vs. Strategies – Souzy Ohanian
- Design-Based Learning – Natalie Bezdjian
- Integrating Academic Language Across the Curriculum – Sandra Halajian
- How to Crank Up the Rigor & Engagement in Your AP Classes – Lilit Vartanian
- Armenian Digital Library – Razmig Haroun and Tamar Tufenkjian
- What Does STEM Excellence Look Like In ECE – Kristina Movsessian
- World of Puppets – Lilit Alajajian
- Armenian Language Revitalization Committee Projects – Armen Abrahamian
- Classroom Observation – Dr. Brian Landisi, Lena Kortoshian, and Armineh Papazian
- Integrating Technology Into the Classroom – Ara Chouljian
- A Taste of Good Health – Best Practices in School-Based Obesity Prevention – Jocelyn Harrison
- New Resources for Armenian Education – Saro Nazarian
- Introduction to Robotics – Hrant Papazian
- Importance of Abstract Quantitative Reasoning in Real World Math Problems – Armond Khodagulyan
- Preparing Students for Success in AP Literature – Mashelle Kirkman
- Course Expectations and Introduction to AP Sciences – Moushegh Bedhoian
- Effective Teaching Methods: Spelling, Vocabulary, and Fluency – Talin Ordekian
- Early Intervention for Preschool/Kindergarten Students with Challenging Behaviors – Jeannine Topalian
Based on the positive feedback from the attendees, the Board of Regents is confident that this year’s conference was a tremendous success. The Annual Professional Development Day conference serves as a unique opportunity for educators of Armenian Schools to come together, get acquainted with one another, and share their experiences and expertise. These workshops are designed to further advance the educational knowledge of the participants, while expanding their horizons with innovative and new educational approaches.
Film: “Intent to Destroy” Offers a Meditative History of the Armenian Genocide
Village Voice
Nov 8 2017
November 8, 2017
In Intent to Destroy, documentarian Joe Berlinger attempts to assemble a sort of meditative history of the Armenian genocide and its century-long cover-up by the Turkish government out of a curious source: behind-the-scenes footage of the production of Terry George’s film The Promise, a sweeping historical saga with movie stars and first-rate production values, financed independently and released in the spring of 2017.
As a film, The Promise is interesting for its subject and the struggle to get it made, rather than its own drama or technique; Intent to Destroy uses The Promise as something of a guide, as our entree into the history, as if the filmmakers assume that we need to see Oscar Isaac to care about the extermination of millions. “There’s a scene in the movie where Christian Bale goes and attempts to take pictures of what’s happening to the Armenians,” one of the many interviewees tells us, his words illustrated with a clip from The Promise. He continues, “In the real world, it was forbidden to take pictures of anything.” That leads to an enlightening discussion of the practicalities of the Ottoman Empire’s mass murder of Armenians.
Intent to Destroy sometimes plays like a DVD extra that might have accompanied The Promise, but it does have value of its own in its interviews with historians, philosophers, and filmmakers and its vintage photos and footage. Even that footage of the shooting of The Promise bears fruit when Armenian actors in the cast speak to Berlinger’s cameras and to one another about their families’ experience during the long-ago massacres, the hundred-year diaspora that followed, and the terrible success of Turkey’s efforts to pretend it all never happened. In these moments, we’re watching artists not just tell their own vital stories but consider, with some awe, the significance of their finally having the opportunity to do so.
Intent to Destroy
Directed by Joe Berlinger
Abramorama
Opens November 10, Village East Cinema
2018 budget draft is based on economic growth, security and improvement of social condition – PM
Category
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Under the 2018 state budget draft the Armenian government planned a fiscal policy that will determine a sustainable economic growth for upcoming years, Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan said during the discussion of the 2018 state budget draft at the joint session of parliamentary standing committees.
“Over the past years the economic shocks from outside world have left their impact on Armenia’s economy which resulted in low level of economic growth. Despite the current positive trends, the bases for economic growth are still not enough for ensuring a stable economic growth. For that purpose, we have planned under the 2018 budget a fiscal policy which will determine a stable economic growth for future years by ensuring 5% stable economic growth which will enable to more effectively solve our tasks. In order to reach this figure, we need to make great efforts”, the PM said.
Karen Karapetyan added that the 2018 state budget is based on economic growth, Armenia’s security and improvement of social condition. The PM said the government’s 2018 revenue policy will also be balanced.
The government made changes in the fiscal policy approaches in the 2018 budget. In the medium-term horizon the fiscal policy will be carried out by revising the expenditure structure, putting more emphasis on the need for capital expenditures aimed at ensuring economic growth.