Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

EREBUNI FORTRESS TO BE RECONSTRUCTED IN YEREVAN

ByStaff
- Posted on January 30, 2014Posted in: Uncategorized

The Yerevan Mayor's Office will restore part of the fortress wall at
the Erebuni Museum, starting this year, said Vice Mayor Aram Sukiasyan,
News Armenia reports.

300 million drams have been granted for the three-year project.

Erebuni was a major city of Urartu. It was founded at the same spot
as Yerevan in 782 BC and existed until the 4th century AD

http://www.armenianlife.com/2014/01/30/erebuni-fortress-to-be-reconstructed-in-yerevan/

[Mher]

Re: Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

Wonderful initiative
iGyumri

http://www.itechnology.am/igyumri/

https://www.facebook.com/events/1412151899036149/

"Todd Fabacher has created software around the world but these days he has one goal in mind – making Gyumri a true tech hub and creating thousands of skilled jobs. Fabacher spoke to CivilNet about the the iGyumri conference, the applications being developed by Digital Pomegranate in Gyumri, industry trends and how startups in Armenia can be successful."
I love this man's perspective and his approach. Gyumri is lucky to have this man

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

Wonderful initiative

What is there that is going to make a "digital pomegranate" more successful and sustainable than, say, a "digital shamrock" (or digital potato? ), "digital thistle", "digital leek", "digital kangaroo", digital coconut", etc? I think that if all other things are equal, the country with the best democracy, most user-friendly and functional tax system, best social freedoms, and best connectivity wins. Initiatives like this help, low startup wages help, having a population that WANTS to be educated and advanced helps (contrast that with Turkey were a large part of the population - the typical AK Party supporters - fears and desires to limit social freedoms and education) - but is Armenia going to need fundamental reforms at the top to enable something as "flighty" as a technology and IT industry stay put and grow?

[Mher]

Re: Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

What is there that is going to make a "digital pomegranate" more successful and sustainable than, say, a "digital shamrock" (or digital potato? ), "digital thistle", "digital leek", "digital kangaroo", digital coconut", etc? I think that if all other things are equal, the country with the best democracy, most user-friendly and functional tax system, best social freedoms, and best connectivity wins. Initiatives like this help, low startup wages help, having a population that WANTS to be educated and advanced helps (contrast that with Turkey were a large part of the population - the typical AK Party supporters - fears and desires to limit social freedoms and education) - but is Armenia going to need fundamental reforms at the top to enable something as "flighty" as a technology and IT industry stay put and grow?

hey what do you know, you threw in a couple of positives. I believe Armenia is going to need fundamental reform for a lot of things to get to an elite level. Having said that, any sort of effort in Gyumri is better than what exists now. The city desperately needs something to believe in, some sign of the outside world caring or even acknowledging its existence. there is such an absolute lack of hope and community pride, and rightfully so considering what the city has been through and how much work remains 25 years later.

Moreover, if you give the population something worth staying for, they'll be more committed to staying and fighting to improve that place. Having a youth that sees a positive future if only a few things were different is bound to be more willing to stay and see those changes occur.

Also I think credit should be given where its due. A lot of times even when we complement the Armenian government its a qualified compliment. "hey they might be criminal pos, but at least they got this one thing right". well here's a man from the outside just looking at his industry without preconditions, who has nothing but positives to say about those in charge.

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

Wonderful initiative
iGyumri

http://www.itechnology.am/igyumri/

"Todd Fabacher has created software around the world but these days he has one goal in mind – making Gyumri a true tech hub and creating thousands of skilled jobs.

And then...

GOVERNMENT PLANS TO SHUT DOWN GYUMRI TECHNOPARK: NEWSPAPER

05.14.2014 13:24 epress.am

The Government of the Republic of Armenia (RA) at an upcoming meeting
will discuss a proposal to dissolve Gyumri Technopark, reports local
daily Haykakan Zhamanak.

"Simply put, the RA Government is ceasing the activities of Gyumri
Technopark. The government justified this decision on the grounds
that the technopark has not operated since the day of its founding,"
reports the paper.

Former Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan over the last 6 years was
actively promoting the idea of creating an industrial park in Gyumri,
Armenia's second-largest city. He repeatedly said that it would be
a major impetus for the development of the IT field. In 2012, Tigran
Sargsyan said: "FIve laboratories are already working effectively in
Gyumri Technopark."

http://www.epress.am/en/2014/05/14/government-plans-to-shut-down-gyumri-technopark-newspaper.html

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

And then...

GOVERNMENT PLANS TO SHUT DOWN GYUMRI TECHNOPARK: NEWSPAPER

05.14.2014 13:24 epress.am

The Government of the Republic of Armenia (RA) at an upcoming meeting
will discuss a proposal to dissolve Gyumri Technopark, reports local
daily Haykakan Zhamanak.

"Simply put, the RA Government is ceasing the activities of Gyumri
Technopark. The government justified this decision on the grounds
that the technopark has not operated since the day of its founding,"
reports the paper.

Former Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan over the last 6 years was
actively promoting the idea of creating an industrial park in Gyumri,
Armenia's second-largest city. He repeatedly said that it would be
a major impetus for the development of the IT field. In 2012, Tigran
Sargsyan said: "FIve laboratories are already working effectively in
Gyumri Technopark."

http://www.epress.am/en/2014/05/14/g...newspaper.html

"Confusion explained"? I doubt it.

GYUMRI TECHNOPARK PROGRAM CONFUSION EXPLAINED

http://armenianow.com/economy/54411/armenia_technopark_gyumri_information_technologies

ECONOMY | 15.05.14 | 16:00

Bagrat Yengibaryan

By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The situation around a Gyumri IT development program is clearing
out: as it turns out there is both an operating program and a Closed
Joint-stock Company under the same name.

On Thursday at a meeting with reporters the head of the Enterprise
Incubator Foundation Bagrat Yengibaryan explained the situation. The
fund headed by Yengibaryan in January of this year was entrusted with
management of the Gryumri Technopark program.

Meanwhile, upon the government's decision made today, the company
founded in 2006, 'Gyumri Technopark', which became the reason for
the confusion, was dissolved, because as the executive's official
website says, "it did not engage in any activities since the day it
was founded."

The reason for the confusion was that after the company's foundation in
2006, in 2008 the government adopted a concept of turning Gyumri into
a techno-city (in which a technopark program was the most important
component), which was supposed to cut down disproportions between
Yerevan and other regions, to improve the business environment,
to solve the main socio-economic problems of Gyumri.

However, the Gyumri Technopark company, where the state had a
49-percent stake in the form of property, was not included in the
Gyumri technopark program because of its limited power and lack of
possibilities to grow.

At the same time, the technopark program, for which the state budget
had allocated 700 million AMD ($1.7 million), according to Yengibaryan,
is very promising and has already attracted various foreign investors.

The opening of the technopark is scheduled for the beginning of June
and, according to Yengibaryan, "there are many businesses within the
program in which the state will have a stake."

"Today we are opening not only a building but also contents. All
the money was spent to prepare for this. Everything was done not
only correctly, but also consistently, and thus we have interesting
results."

"What took place in Gyumri is a surprising result our neighbors cannot
even dream about," he added.

The Gyumri technopark program has always been a target for criticism
during the recent years, and until now many people do not quite
believe in its success.

[Mher]

Re: Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

"Confusion explained"? I doubt it.

GYUMRI TECHNOPARK PROGRAM CONFUSION EXPLAINED

http://armenianow.com/economy/54411/armenia_technopark_gyumri_information_technologies

ECONOMY | 15.05.14 | 16:00

Bagrat Yengibaryan

By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The situation around a Gyumri IT development program is clearing
out: as it turns out there is both an operating program and a Closed
Joint-stock Company under the same name.

On Thursday at a meeting with reporters the head of the Enterprise
Incubator Foundation Bagrat Yengibaryan explained the situation. The
fund headed by Yengibaryan in January of this year was entrusted with
management of the Gryumri Technopark program.

Meanwhile, upon the government's decision made today, the company
founded in 2006, 'Gyumri Technopark', which became the reason for
the confusion, was dissolved, because as the executive's official
website says, "it did not engage in any activities since the day it
was founded."

The reason for the confusion was that after the company's foundation in
2006, in 2008 the government adopted a concept of turning Gyumri into
a techno-city (in which a technopark program was the most important
component), which was supposed to cut down disproportions between
Yerevan and other regions, to improve the business environment,
to solve the main socio-economic problems of Gyumri.

However, the Gyumri Technopark company, where the state had a
49-percent stake in the form of property, was not included in the
Gyumri technopark program because of its limited power and lack of
possibilities to grow.

At the same time, the technopark program, for which the state budget
had allocated 700 million AMD ($1.7 million), according to Yengibaryan,
is very promising and has already attracted various foreign investors.

The opening of the technopark is scheduled for the beginning of June
and, according to Yengibaryan, "there are many businesses within the
program in which the state will have a stake."

"Today we are opening not only a building but also contents. All
the money was spent to prepare for this. Everything was done not
only correctly, but also consistently, and thus we have interesting
results."

"What took place in Gyumri is a surprising result our neighbors cannot
even dream about," he added.

The Gyumri technopark program has always been a target for criticism
during the recent years, and until now many people do not quite
believe in its success.

I spoke to a friend in Gyumri and she said that indeed some parts of it are already in operation, and yes hopefully it'll fully start operating soon.

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

I spoke to a friend in Gyumri and she said that indeed some parts of it are already in operation, and yes hopefully it'll fully start operating soon.

The confusing thing is why had nothing happened in 8 years, if the reason for closing one aspect of it is that that it had done nothing for 8 years? And how can it, the physical technopark, be just opening this June if, in 2012, Tigran Sargsyan was able to say "Five laboratories are already working effectively in Gyumri Technopark"? The worry is that because it seems to have been the project of one prime minister, the required amount of active support for it has not been maintained by successor prime ministers.

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

Travel Daily Media
May 27 2014


Hyatt signs second property in Armenia

Hyatt Hotels is to open a second property in Armenia after a company
affiliate entered into a contract with Jersan LLC to develop a Hyatt
Place hotel in Jermuk.

Following on from the recent launch of Hyatt Place Yerevan, the Hyatt
Jermuk is expected to open in 2015.

The 88-room, new-build hotel will be situated in the centre of Jermuk
Resort, a mountain getaway known for its hot springs which is
currently under redevelopment by the Armenian government.

On completion, the property will boast more than 170 square meters of
meeting space, an open market with made-to-order meals and snacks
around the clock, an all-day dining restaurant, a fitness centre, and
an indoor and outdoor swimming pool.

http://www.traveldailymedia.com/207859/hyatt-signs-second-property-in-armenia/

[Mher]

Re: Armenia: Future Projects and Developments

The confusing thing is why had nothing happened in 8 years, if the reason for closing one aspect of it is that that it had done nothing for 8 years? And how can it, the physical technopark, be just opening this June if, in 2012, Tigran Sargsyan was able to say "Five laboratories are already working effectively in Gyumri Technopark"? The worry is that because it seems to have been the project of one prime minister, the required amount of active support for it has not been maintained by successor prime ministers.

Sorry for the delayed response, I had been out of town and busy with work
I haven't figured out this confusion with the term technopark being confused with some other technopark, and there being various conflicting reports, but I this is what I know from the Technopark in Gyumri based on the 2 months I spent in gyumri working at the technopark itself:

construction on it started March of 2012. It was nothing before then. It was a building from the 1850's. I don't know what he could have been referring to in 2012, but up until the time I was there in early August of 2012, no part of that building was anywhere near being complete. It was still just a ruin from the 19th century. Add to that the fact that winter in Gyumri starts in October and construction stops soon afterwards, I can't see how that statement could have been referring to that building. Maybe it was referring to the other building/project.

The project was originally supposed to take 18 months. So started spring 2012, and should have ended fall of 2013. however it sounds like there was some delays, but with the extended gyumri winter, that delay was stretched out to the duration of spring, and therefore it has probably been completed recently/is being completed. 2 months back my friend said some parts of it were open. ill be in gyumri next month hopefully and ill try to provide a clear answer