Experts don’t forecast any serious changes in Armenia’s economy at post-election period

YEREVAN, February 23. /ARKA/. Head of the Republic Union of Employers of Armenia Gagik Makaryan and management studies  expert Harutyun Mesrobyan don’t expect any significant transformations in economy of the country during the post-election period.

“I think the re-elected forces will maneuver the existing economic programs and will make just some “cosmetic” changes without applying to risks,” Makaryan said at a news conference.

He implies the government should orient itself to its own program rather than the election campaign of Armenia’s president. 

On his side, Harutyun Mesrobyan highlighted the Armenian authorities are still to determine what kind of economy they will face in 5-10 years and outline the course based on that. 

“Armenia’s economy doesn’t post any development, we can only speak about growth or tumble,” he said and added the economic programs should be targeted at qualitative results rather than quantitative. 

According to the ballot preliminary count results from all 1,988 polling stations, Armenia’s incumbent president Sezrh Sargsyan won the re-election Monday with 861,378 votes or 58.64%. Raffi Hovannisian polled 539,674 votes or 36.74%, Hrant Bagratyan - 31,643 votes or 2.15%, Paruyr Hayrikyan - 18,093 votes or 1.23%, Andrias Ghukasyan - 8,328 votes or 0.57%, Arman Melikyan - 3,520 votes or 0.24% and Vardan Sedrakyan – 6,203 votes or 0.42%.

New job vacancies requiring secondary and higher qualification as well as enhancement of economic output were included into the election campaign of Serzh Sargsyan, incumbent president and leader of the ruling Republican party of Armenia. 

International economic integration, application to existing free trade mechanisms and involvement in different integration processes are key factors for economic advance of the country, according to Sargsyan’s program. -0-