“THE RESULT OF THE GOVERNMENT’S ACTIVITY FOR THE COMING FIVE YEARS SHOULD BE THE RISE OF PEOPLE’S LIVING CONDITIONS”
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 11:01
At the October 11 plenary session of the NKR National Assembly,
Prime Minister Ara Harutyunian presented the Government’s activity
for 2012-2017.
After the Prime Minister’s report, the parliamentary factions,
represented by their leaders, expressed their views on the program.
The program was approved by the Parliament.
Following is our conversation with leader of the NA Dashnaktsutyun
faction Armen SARGSYAN about the faction’s observations and
assessments:
According to Mr. Sargsyan, the five-year program of the Government
differs from the previous ones with its orderliness. The provisions of
the program are logically connected to each other; they outline both
the strategic goals and specific issues. Consequently, it cannot be
considered as abstract. “Specifically, as to the increase of salaries,
the Government indicates certain figures; so, if the executive
body doesn’t reach the specified size of salaries and pensions,
its work will be considered failed. We cannot consider such a work
positive. In this case, the program outlines the strategic direction
of the country’s development, at the same time focusing on the issues
of current importance”.
According to the faction’s leader, the peculiarity of the program also
is that it is not a slogan. Thus, agricultural and rural development
is considered on a common basis. Some specialists consider separately
rural and agricultural development programs, which is unacceptable. In
fact, the strategic importance of the Artsakh village should be
understood; second, along with the development of big business,
development of small and medium business in the agricultural sector
is very important, which will provide the desired number of the
rural population, or, it will promote villages’ enlarging. One
cannot consider this program only from the viewpoint of agricultural
production, but he should also take into consideration how it will
contribute to the development of village. By the way, this section
in the Government program has undergone radical changes. Emphasizing
also the social sphere, our interlocutor noted that the executive
body tried to solve the existing issues, basing on the previously
elaborated programs. It concerns the financial assistance rendered
to the families with five or more children, as well as the support
provided to young families by the state.
Mr. Sargsyan then proceeded to the energy sector, noting that at least
three factors -electricity, fuel and bread – have their influence on
a country’s living standard. Karabakh imports fuel, which means that
it is difficult for the country to avoid prices’ fluctuation. As of
bread, our country cannot only be self-sufficient, but it can also
export the surplus. The Government resolution restricting export of
wheat is important. Thus, the executive body tries to keep unchanged
the prices for bread. The faction leader believes that we have great
abilities for regulating this issue. As for electricity, today we
are attempting to achieve self-sufficiency in energy. In case of
successful development of the process, price regulation is possible.
Generally, very few countries are able to become self-sufficient in
this sphere.
At the meeting with the state’s Prime Minister, the factions’ members
drew the Government’s attention to a series of issues. Almost all the
proposals were accepted. During the meeting, both sides highlighted
the following approach: the executive body must give an account
of every sentence. In this respect, the faction leader emphasized
that one could present a perfect program, but failing to provide its
implementation. The report for each sentence by itself is not simply
financial distribution by sectors, but more targeted provision of
means for conducting a clear policy in the area. According to our
interlocutor, this program differs from the previous ones just with
this fact.
“The program should be made public”, Mr. Sargsyan stressed, adding,
“But what does this mean?” If the program is implemented by the
staff, which, so to say, does not enjoy the program provisions,
so they become mere instructions. It is impossible to regulate any
industrial issue with instructions. The personnel should study the
program to be able to implement it, mastering all the nuances. Second,
the program may fail if the people don’t comprehend this, becoming
part of the process”. He grounded this view with a specific example:
the state gives credits to villagers to buy cattle, but the villagers
do not perceive the essence of the program and spend the credit not for
purchasing cattle, but for buying cars and using them as taxi. Surely,
they can return the credit to the Government, but it does not mean
that the credit was used purposefully. If the credit is provided for
cattle, then, it should be purchased and a corresponding report should
be submitted. The Government is not a bank to give credits and to
demand their repayment. The Government should ensure their target use.
Recently, corresponding steps have been taken in this direction,
which is welcomed by Armen Sargsyan. Apart from participation, the
people should realize the fact that as a result of the five-year work
they will register certain changes in their own living standards. The
Dashnaktsutyun draws attention to the following: the Government
presents real figurers on the country’s development. The matter is
how this development is related to the people’s living standards,
i.e. the people should enjoy the 12-percent increase, which is
indicated by the Government.
Mr. Sargsyan pays special attention to the development of small and
medium business, which primarily supposes creation of new jobs. It
is also manifestation of people’s abilities. It should be noted that
development of small and medium business provides the most important
stability for the country. The problem is as follows: will it be
possible to implement the program with joint efforts and will it
really become public?
During the meeting with the Prime Minister, the faction members noted
that any program, be it political or economic, can be realized if it
provides at least five conditions: the program should be made properly;
the choice of personnel should be similarly accurate; it should ensure
the proper funding, work organization, and definition of control. “If
all these conditions are followed, I think the program will be more
successful”, said our interlocutor.
The Government’s attention was drawn to its credit policy and it
was, in particular, stressed that for proportional development of
the country, credit privileges should be introduced according to
regions, i.e. the credits should be provided, basing on the regions’
peculiarities. Amendments should be introduced in the credit policy.
Along with the issue of resettlement, the Dashnaktsutyun paid special
importance to the issue of repatriation. “We should do everything
that our compatriots living abroad return to their homeland”, said the
faction leader, adding, “The issues of resettlement and repatriation
cannot be considered separately. We suggested paying attention to the
married couples living in the villages, which are under the threat
of destruction. Keeping the couples in the villages will be possible
if they are provided with privileged mortgage credits. We should help
people build their houses on their native land”.
The faction suggested also expanding the list of the NKR missions
abroad to intensify the works on the international recognition
of Artsakh. A proposal was made, according to which creation of
different cooperatives will be quite effective for the development
of agriculture, which is accepted in many countries. The meeting
participants discussed the issue of toughening the standards for
admission to the university, because it cannot base on its own economic
needs and make such steps that may impact the quality of the education.
The importance of organizing training courses on middle and lower
levels, including for community leaders, was noted. These levels’
employees must perceive the state policy; otherwise negative facts
will be registered, due to the personnel’s non-professionalism. It
was offered to deepen the process of decentralization, since countries
with highly centralized systems have no natural development.
Ruzan ISHKHANIAN
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