Armenian parliament approves privatization plan for 2017-2020
09.06.2017,
15:44
Parliament members from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun have pushed today through a government-designed plan of privatization of dozens of state-owned enterprises and companies, which the government expects to raise about 36 billion drams (about $74 million) in proceeds.
YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. Parliament members from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun have pushed today through a government-designed plan of privatization of dozens of state-owned enterprises and companies, which the government expects to raise about 36 billion drams (about $74 million) in proceeds.
Arman Sahakyan, the head of the State Property Management Department, said the privatization plan is for 2017-2020. He said some of the enterprises had been included in the previous privatization programs but never found buyers.
‘We hope that they after all will find buyers," Sahakyan said.
The Tsarukyan bloc voted against the plan, while the opposition Yelk bloc refused to participate in the voting. Opposition factions had asked the government to remove about ten health facilities from the privatization list, as well as ArmenFilm studio and the national postal operator Haypost.
Opposition MPs argued that the privatization of medical facilities would push up the already high prices for medical services, making them inaccessible to the vast majority of ordinary citizens. As for the film studio, they expressed fears that after the privatization the entire Armenian film heritage would be destroyed, including the archives that are stored there.
Regarding HayPost, which is actually a monopolist in the Armenian market of postal services, the MPs suggested prolonging its concession agreement.
Their arguments were downplayed by Arman Sahakyan who said that all these facilities need serious investments for full-fledged functioning and development, which the government is unable to secure.
The list of facilities, included in the government’s privatization program for 2017-2020 includes the government’s House of Receptions, a bus terminal in Kotayk region, the government-owned shares in the Yerevan Jewelry Factory, the Research Institute of Balneology and Physiotherapy, the National Fanarjyan Center of Oncology, the Scientific Center for Dermatovenerologic Medicine, the Center for Radioisotope Production and a number of smaller institutions.--0--
Arman Sahakyan, the head of the State Property Management Department, said the privatization plan is for 2017-2020. He said some of the enterprises had been included in the previous privatization programs but never found buyers.
‘We hope that they after all will find buyers," Sahakyan said.
The Tsarukyan bloc voted against the plan, while the opposition Yelk bloc refused to participate in the voting. Opposition factions had asked the government to remove about ten health facilities from the privatization list, as well as ArmenFilm studio and the national postal operator Haypost.
Opposition MPs argued that the privatization of medical facilities would push up the already high prices for medical services, making them inaccessible to the vast majority of ordinary citizens. As for the film studio, they expressed fears that after the privatization the entire Armenian film heritage would be destroyed, including the archives that are stored there.
Regarding HayPost, which is actually a monopolist in the Armenian market of postal services, the MPs suggested prolonging its concession agreement.
Their arguments were downplayed by Arman Sahakyan who said that all these facilities need serious investments for full-fledged functioning and development, which the government is unable to secure.
The list of facilities, included in the government’s privatization program for 2017-2020 includes the government’s House of Receptions, a bus terminal in Kotayk region, the government-owned shares in the Yerevan Jewelry Factory, the Research Institute of Balneology and Physiotherapy, the National Fanarjyan Center of Oncology, the Scientific Center for Dermatovenerologic Medicine, the Center for Radioisotope Production and a number of smaller institutions.--0--
