Author: Torgomian Varazdat

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian President ratifies Public Council Statute
11.03.2009 19:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today President Serzh Sargsyan has signed an edict
on ratifying the statute of Public Council and appointing its
members. As the president’s press-sevice informs, Robert Amirkhanyan,
Anna Asatryan, Lilit Asatryan, Karen Bekaryan, Emil Gabrielyan, Anelka
Grigoryan, Astghik Gevorgyan, Hayk Demoyan, Hovhannes Zanazanyan,
Khosrov Harutyunyan, Vazgen Manukyan and Vladimir Movsisyan were
appointed members of the Council. According to the statute ratified,
the Public Council, which has 36 members, is coordinated by the
President of RA. The other 24 members will be elected according to the
procedure and terms envisaged by the statute.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Georgia boycotts Eurovision 2009
11.03.2009 22:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia refused to participate in Eurovision 2009
Song Contest due in Moscow, Contest Project Manager in Georgia Natia
Uznadze reported.

On Tuesday European Broadcasting Union informed Georgian Public
Television Management about non compliance of `We don’t wanna put in’
song performed by Stephane and 3G with the contest rules. There’s a
rule against political songs in the Eurovision, so Georgia could have
changed song lyrics, present another song or even another singer. `The
band refuses to make changes in the lyrics, ‘ RIA-Novosti cited Unadze
as saying.

Stephane and 3G returned to Georgia from a trip abroad on Wednesday.

President Serzh Sargsyan visits Liqvor pharmaceutical company

7

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan
visited Liqvor CJSC on March 7. According to the director general of
the company Sergei Matevosian, the visit of the president was related
to March 8 as most of Liqvor’s employees are women, while the other
purpose of the visit was to become acquainted with the company’s
activities.

S. Matevosian said that Liqvor was founded in 1991. It mainly produces
intravenous solutions and ophthalmological drugs (60 types of drugs of
26 pharmaceutical groups), and their production is sold both in Armenia
and almost all CIS countries. About 40% of production is exported. The
company has 83 main employees, while their total number makes 107.

It was mentioned that the global economic crisis has had its impact on
Liqvor, mainly in respect of foreign markets, whereas sales in the
domestic market have not declined.

In the words of S. Matevosian, the company has submitted a business
plan to the RA government’s anticrisis operative staff with an
expectation of support, and the business plan is now being discussed.
The RA minister of economy Nerses Yeritsian said that Liqvor exports
medicines of a million dollars a year, which is quite a high index for
a pharmaceutical company. The business plan of the company is related
to construction of a new factory, which will enable to create jobs in
construction sector and to establish a high-tech production, which will
provide Liqvor with an opportunity to increase its exports.

The indicated business plan envisages a 10-year period, and after its
implementation the value of the company will grow several fold.
Besides, it is envisaged introducing GMP standards at Liqvor and
increasing the range of its production based on own scientific
developments. According to the minister, in recent years the company’s
revenues grew by 30-50% annually, and Liqvor can build a new factory
with its own resources, but state assistance would allow it to reduce
the period of construction work. He noted that one guarantee of success
of Liqvor’s plans is 40% participation of the EBRD in the company’s
capital (August 2005).

Liqvor has submitted a business plan on receiving a 2.4 million dollar
credit to the government. Out of this sum, 1.8 million dollars will be
spent on construction of a new factory in Jrvezh district of Yerevan’s
Nor Nork community. The amount of envisaged investments makes 3m 480
thousand dollars.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Budget sequestration does NOT threaten Armenia yet
09.03.2009 17:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `We manage with the budget and its sequestration
does not threaten us yet,’ said Galoust Sahakyan, a Parliament deputy,
head of Armenia’s Republican Party faction. As he says, the processes
Armenia is undergoing are called a trade liberalization that will
eventually lead to the formation of securities market.

As mentions the head of the Republican faction which has a
parliamentary majority in the NA of RA, `Budget cuts are possible, but
I see nothing menacing in it as we can simply do with reducing certain
expenses.’ Sahakyan considers that `the budget must not be liable to
political speculations.’

Although this year as a result of a financial crisis many countries
will have a negative economic growth,Galoust Sahakyan says, Armenia
will not have a zero performance. Even if it has, it will not be so
menacing for the country. By the end of the year Armenia will have an
economic growth.As to the financial crisis, it will loosen by fall, he
added.

ARMENPRESS

THE NEWLY APPOINTED MAYOR OF YEREVAN TASKS TO GIVE NEW SOLUTIONS TO
THE URGENT ISSUES OF THE CAPITAL

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: The newly appointed mayor of Yerevan
Gagik Beglarian for the first time today chaired the
activity-coordinating consultation of the municipality and tasked the
employers of the municipality to give new solutions to the urgent
issues of the capital and demanded a new style of working from the
district communities.
During today’s press conference vice mayor of Yerevan Kamo Areyan
noted that the works of the municipality are held on their natural
order and the newly appointed mayor gets acquainted with all the
community and town issues.
`Having a new mayor intends a new style of working, freshness in
the works and I consider it natural. G. Beglarian took part in the
implementation of all the town programs and is well aware of the
sphere’,- K. Areyan said. At the same time he noted that the mayor
made no staff changes.
K. Areyan denied the circulating news about his resignation.
`The request has no grounds. I’m a state servant and continue to work
in the municipality. What decision the authorities make, I will
continue my activity according to it’,- he said.

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
March 9 2009

Congratulatory Message of the RA NA President Hovik Abrahamyan on the
Women’s Day

The President of the RA National Assembly Mr Hovik Abrahamyan
congratulated on the Women’s Day

`Dear women,

I warmly congratulate you on the occasion of March 8, Women’s Day.

Your role in the continuity of our people and its created values,
achievements and national identity is invaluable. The firmness of the
Armenian family, the tradition of the Armenian way of upbringing of
the new generation, the native tongue and the national image of our
people have been retained, first of all, due to your devotion and
virtue.

I am sure that you will continue the mission of keeping the Armenian
national identity and you will increase your participation in various
spheres of public-political life of our country for the sake of
Armenia and its people.

Dear women, mothers and sisters, congratulating you on the occasion of
this beautiful spring holiday, I wish you longevity, health, love,
happiness and family warmth.’

GSP+ another opportunity for Armenia for resisting the global crisis
10.03.2009 14:28

Hasmik Dilanyan
`Radiolur’

Notwithstanding the global financial crisis, Armenian businessmen
register new achievements in the European community. From January 1st,
2009 they have an opportunity to benefit from the GSP+ system. It
offers prospects for exporting 6 thousand types of products to the
European Union without paying customs duties. `If we manage to export
at least 150 types of products from Armenia without paying custom
duties, it will be a new drive to our economy,’ President of the Union
of Businessmen of Armenia Arsen Ghazaryan declared.

It’s worth mentioning that not every country gains an opportunity to
benefit from the GSP+ system. For that the country should be
developing, and implements the requirements of certain international
conventions. `Today it’s still hard to calculate how much the exports
will grow,’ Director of the `Grigoryan and Partners’ Company Gagik
Gabrielyan said.

`It’s impossible to make exact calculations, since it depends on our
exporters and businessmen. The exports are complicated not only by
customs duties, but also procedures. Much depends on how the
opportunities will be used,’ Mr. Gabrielyan said.

Speaker of the National Assembly congratulates women on March 8

armradio.am
07.03.2009 14:02

Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan issued a
congratulatory address on the occasion of the International Women’s
Day.

`Dear women,
I warmly congratulate you on March 8th, the International Women’s Day.
Your role is invaluable in the eternity of our people and its values,
achievements and preservation of the Armenian national identity.

The strength of the Armenian family, the tradition of Armenian
upbringing of the younger generation, the mother language and our
national features have been preserved first of all due to your devotion
and virtue.

I’m assured that you will continue your mission and will increase your
participation in most different spheres of our country’s
socio-political life for the benefit of our state and its people.

Dear women, mothers, sisters, once again congratulating you on the
occasion of this beautiful holiday, I wish you health, happiness,
family warmth and love.’

ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH TO CREEP ABOVE ZERO, MINISTER SAYS

ARKA
March 6, 2009

YEREVAN, March 6. /ARKA/. Armenia is expected to see economic growth
just above zero, RA Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan told ARKA
on Friday.

According to the minister, this is possible thanks to IMF, WB, ADB
funds, as well as the Russian government’s allocations.

"It is natural that our economy heads towards zero, but everything will
depend on the effective and prompt utilization of foreign investments
in Armenia’s economy," Yeritsyan added.

The minister said the funds would be distributed as soon as Armenia
is able to implement all projects.

"The Russian funds are more easily accessible than the others,"
Yeritsyan said, adding other investments would be available after
Armenia accelerates implementation of designed programs to avoid
economic downturn.

According to WB forecasts, Armenia’s 2009 economic growth will be
above zero, whereas IMF forecasts a minus 1.5% GDP growth in the
country by end-2009.

Amid the global financial crisis, WB has extended a $525mln loan
to Armenia, with IMF and Russia earmarking $540mln and $500mln
respectively to save the country’s economy from deep recession.

GRIAR INSURANCE TO INSURE SHIPS SAILING UNDER ARMENIAN FLAG

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.03.2009 12:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Griar Insurance company requested the Central Bank
of Armenia for a license for insuring water transport.

"Many will be surprised at the company’s decision because Armenia
doesn’t have outlet to the sea. However, the issue is very
urgent. Besides the yachts and cutters in Lake Sevan, the company
will insure ships sailing under Armenian flag," Armen Petrosyan,
Griar Insurance Executive Director, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"Many countries with outlet to the sea do not allow not insured ships
in their ports," he added.

"Responsibility for pollution is another aspect in insurance
policy. Tank ship wrecks results in oil pouring into the sea, what
is equal to ecological catastrophe," Armen Petrosyan said.