Armenia's Economic Pulse

[armnuke]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Armenia Announces Creation Of Free Economic Zone At Border With Iran

http://www.azatutyun.am/a/27939411.html

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Half a million tourists visited Armenia in six months



Inline images 1

YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. The number of foreign tourists visiting Armenia in the first six months of 2016 grew by 2.4% from the year before to 501,000 Mekhak Apresyan, head of an economy ministry’s department in charge of tourism, said to a news conference today. Similarly, the number of Armenians traveling abroad as tourists rose by 1.2% to about 470,000 people, he added.

According to him, the bulk of foreigners visiting Armenia as tourists are from Russia, Europe, Iran, Georgia and the United States. He added that the rise in the number of Iranian tourists is significant.

Apresyan specified that that the number of Iranian tourists last year was 24% up from the previous year reaching 144,000 people.

Apresyan said that his department has developed a marketing program to attract more tourists from Japan, Russia, China and Arab countries. -0-

http://arka.am/en/news/tourism/half_a_million_tourists_visited_armenia_in_six_months_/

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Armenia’s exports of apricots reach last year’s record high figures



Inline images 1

YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. Armenia’s exports of apricots, a major agricultural product, to Russia and other countries, have nearly reached last year’s record high figures, deputy minister of agriculture Robert Makaryan, told a news conference today.

According to him, Armenia has exported so far 19,257 tons of apricot, slightly down from 20,855 tons exported in 2015.

"Despite pessimistic forecasts about the apricot output, their export is still underway, while prices compared with last year have increased significantly," said Makaryan.

Wholesale buyers purchase them for 500-600 drams per kilogram from farmers depending on the size and appearance of the apricots , while local canneries pay 70-75 drams, up from 40-50 drams they paid in 2015.

Earlier, minister Sergo Karapetyan had predicted that the total output of apricots this year would reach 60,000 tons. ($ 1 - 476.14 drams) .-- 0--

http://arka.am/en/news/business/armenia_s_exports_of_apricots_reach_last_year_s_record_high_figures/

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Armenia to export first batches of wine to India

YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. First pilot batches of Armenian wine will
be exported to India very soon, Robert Makaryan, Armenian deputy
agriculture minister, told journalists on Tuesday.

Sergo Karapetyan, Armenian agriculture minister, discussed wine export
prospects with his Indian colleagues as he visited India in February,
and an appropriate agreement was signed in May.

Makaryan refrained from saying how much wine Armenian sends to India
now and how much it will export in the future.

According to the Armenian foreign ministry, the Indian market’s full
potential is not known in Armenia so far, and trade turnover between
the two countries amounts to $50-60 million.

The National Statistical Service of Armenia says the country’s wine
output grew 10.8% in Jan-June 2016, compared with the same period a
year before, to 2,973,800 liters. --0----

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__arka.am_en_news_economy_armenia-5Fto-5Fexport-5Ffirst-5Fbatches-5Fof-5Fwine-5Fto-5Findia-5F_&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=XHat3rqQ93vR0agW7AIA9V9XrvbRpY5NAzh_QcwOfvk&s=n4yTYdbUGM8P1SFvwsr3UxvUrZdVbvxc9uOCz8NWU_M&e=

[armnuke]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

**Great stuff**

The President attended the opening of multi-family housing complex, built in the framework of social programs to provide housing.

[londontsi]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Iran proposing new railway plan including Armenia, economist

13:45 • 16.07.16

Iran proposes a new railway communication project connecting the
country with Europe through Armenia, according to an economist.

At a news conference on Saturday, Ashot Yengibaryan said that the
proposed route will extend from the Islamic Republic to Armenia and
Georgia in the south and Bulgaria and Greece in the west.

He added that experts recently discussed the project in Bulgaria’s
capital, Sofia, to consider the priorities and objectives.

As for Armenia, the economist noted that the country remains somewhat
isolated from regional developments. “Geopolitically, the perspective
markets for Armenia are in the Middle East and Europe rather than
Russia. Hence, Armenia’s transport routes must be integrated into
those territories. Armenia has seen very little changes, whereas the
changes in the neighboring states have been considerable. They have
alternative choices as they are integrated into other economic areas;
Armenia is ruled by the Soviet regime, which blocks the country’s
chances of development. So the railway is a necessary factor for
Armenia,” he said.

The economist noted that the limited transport communications decrease
the country’s attractiveness also in terms of investments. “Armenia
shares the same integration area with Georgia, hence there isn’t
absolutely an essential difference. [Products] may be manufactured in
Armenia and exported through Georgia; however, given the different
regimes, functioning legally in Armenia and Georgia, there are
investment-related risks.”

Yengibaryan cited the lifting of sanctions against Iran as another
factor contributing to regional rearrangements. “Russia has no
interest in Iran’s involvement in regional deals, but regardless of
its desire, it is important to take Iran into consideration as it
creates new opportunities in the region,” he explained.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2...WiOGRcJx_Cc&e=

I have been trying to confirm this through other sources without luck.

However I came across this which contradicts the Armenian source.

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/05/24/467239/Iran-working-on-new-transit-link-to-EU----

.

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Iran proposing new railway plan including Armenia, economist

13:45 • 16.07.16

Iran proposes a new railway communication project connecting the
country with Europe through Armenia, according to an economist.

At a news conference on Saturday, Ashot Yengibaryan said that the
proposed route will extend from the Islamic Republic to Armenia and
Georgia in the south and Bulgaria and Greece in the west.

He added that experts recently discussed the project in Bulgaria’s
capital, Sofia, to consider the priorities and objectives.

As for Armenia, the economist noted that the country remains somewhat
isolated from regional developments. “Geopolitically, the perspective
markets for Armenia are in the Middle East and Europe rather than
Russia. Hence, Armenia’s transport routes must be integrated into
those territories. Armenia has seen very little changes, whereas the
changes in the neighboring states have been considerable. They have
alternative choices as they are integrated into other economic areas;
Armenia is ruled by the Soviet regime, which blocks the country’s
chances of development. So the railway is a necessary factor for
Armenia,” he said.

The economist noted that the limited transport communications decrease
the country’s attractiveness also in terms of investments. “Armenia
shares the same integration area with Georgia, hence there isn’t
absolutely an essential difference. [Products] may be manufactured in
Armenia and exported through Georgia; however, given the different
regimes, functioning legally in Armenia and Georgia, there are
investment-related risks.”

Yengibaryan cited the lifting of sanctions against Iran as another
factor contributing to regional rearrangements. “Russia has no
interest in Iran’s involvement in regional deals, but regardless of
its desire, it is important to take Iran into consideration as it
creates new opportunities in the region,” he explained.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.tert.am_en_news_2016_07_16_railway_2081109&d=DQIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=LVw5zH6C4LHpVQcGEdVcrQ&m=9CS96p1cPKu4PgkLdKJ6OvdBdV3fB5ce-DAZi_nVXyE&s=LyCve2W6i-Nc48LKaz8SMZxtfjLhU_itWiOGRcJx_Cc&e=

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

US policy has been horrible towards Armenia for a long time. It is about time something good happened.

[armnuke]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

The U.S. will Support Armenia to Weaken Economic Dependency from Russia

The issue of economic assistance to Eurasia in 2017 has been covered in the U.S. Congress, VOA informs.

The United States will help Armenia to improve economic condition and integrate into the South Caucasus energy system. Thomas Melia, USAID’s Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia, stated this in Washington D.C.. Touching upon hearings in the Congress Melia introduced foreign aid priorities in the period of 2017:

“Our economic assistance directed to Armenia will allow the latter to decrease economic dependency from Russia. It’ll also allow Armenia to integrate into regional energy systems. Some part will be directed to strengthening of local self-governance inside the country.”

Based on the state budget draft bill by the White House, economic assistance directed to Armenia in 2017 will grow by 22%, thus comprising USD 22 million. Besides, the U.S. will direct more than USD 3 million for the development of Armenia’s military and legal systems. Many of the U.S. legislatives, however, still anticipate to considerably increase economic assistance provided to Armenia during the budget hearings. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher stressed that the U.S. has a crucial feature—consciousness of sharing with others.

“I have always been proud with generosity of the American people, they are always ready to stretch a hand for the needy people, even if they have never met them.”

Alina Romanowski, Coordinator for U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia, during the hearings introduced the four main directions of economic assistance in the territory of Eurasia. In particular, they include strengthening of countries’ independence and sovereignty, helping countries to defend from external pressure, fight against corruption and provision of rule of law, strengthening of democracy and protection of freedom of speech, as well as maintenance of peace.

“The fourth priority of the U.S. economic assistance is provision of peace for the countries of the region, which has appeared under a serious threat.”

By the way, economic assistance directed to Azerbaijan is twice less than that allocated to Armenia, which is mainly directed to the development of democracy and open society. According to the representative of the U.S. International Development Agency, Azerbaijan’s serious regress in that field was taken into account while making the decision.

http://en.168.am/2016/06/11/7913.html#.V159slRbISk.facebook

[armnuke]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Armenian Government Fires Vice-Ministers To Save Money

The Armenian government has laid off three deputy ministers of agriculture as part of a major cost-cutting drive that was announced by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian last month.

Abrahamian’s office announced the dismissals of Grisha Baghiyan, Samvel Galstian and Garnik Petrosian on Thursday evening. The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that nobody will be appointed in their place.

Agriculture Minister Sergo has had five deputies until now, more than most other cabinet members.

The layoffs came one month after Abrahamian said the government should streamline its expenditures, downsize many of its agencies, step up its declared fight against corruption and improve the domestic business environment. Armenia, he said, must become a “more efficient state” in order to successfully cope with “new challenges” emanating from the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The premier referred to the April 2-5 hostilities in Karabakh which heightened the risk of a full-scale Armenian-Azerbaijani war.

Later in May, the government decided to decommission almost 800 cars used by its senior officials and other public sector employees. But it has yet to determine the scale of the planned staff cuts. Nor is it clear how much money the government will save as a result of these measures.

Deputy Finance Minister Pavel Safarian admitted that the anticipated cost-saving will not be massive. “This is more of a moral issue,” Safarian said. He also insisted that the government, whose budget for this year is equivalent to roughly $3 billion, has not wasted public funds.

http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/27790863.html