Positive economic trends prevailed in 2017, expert says
10.01.2018,
18:06
Positive trends in Armenian economy in 2017 prevailed, according to Gagik Makaryan, the chairman of the National Union of Employers.
YEREVAN, January 10. /ARKA/. Positive trends in Armenian economy in 2017 prevailed, according to Gagik Makaryan, the chairman of the National Union of Employers. Speaking to reporters today, he singled out the creation of about 7,000 private enterprises which have raised the number of employees in this sector to about 330,000.
Makaryan said also a slight regression was recorded in the agricultural sector last year, and despite a string of efforts the government failed to achieve significant successes in this sector.
"In order to register progress, we need to follow an industrial scheme. It is necessary to create industrial enterprises," Makaryan said.
He also said that despite a 1-2% drop in the number of the unemployed, the level of poverty in Armenia did not decrease, and in all likelihood it is not going to drop in 2018 either.
‘In order to overcome poverty, it is important that the government implement an action plan to increase employment, which it does not do,’ he said.
According to the latest official data, the poverty level in Armenia was 29.4% in late 2016, which was 0.4 pp. less than in 2015. The share of very poor was 9.8%, and that of extremely poor was 1.8%.
Consumer prices in November 2017 rose by 2.2% when compared to 2016 November. At the same time, during the reporting period, prices for food products (including alcoholic beverages and tobacco products) increased by 4.9%, prices for non-food products - by 0.8%, and services decreased by 0.4%. -0-
Makaryan said also a slight regression was recorded in the agricultural sector last year, and despite a string of efforts the government failed to achieve significant successes in this sector.
"In order to register progress, we need to follow an industrial scheme. It is necessary to create industrial enterprises," Makaryan said.
He also said that despite a 1-2% drop in the number of the unemployed, the level of poverty in Armenia did not decrease, and in all likelihood it is not going to drop in 2018 either.
‘In order to overcome poverty, it is important that the government implement an action plan to increase employment, which it does not do,’ he said.
According to the latest official data, the poverty level in Armenia was 29.4% in late 2016, which was 0.4 pp. less than in 2015. The share of very poor was 9.8%, and that of extremely poor was 1.8%.
Consumer prices in November 2017 rose by 2.2% when compared to 2016 November. At the same time, during the reporting period, prices for food products (including alcoholic beverages and tobacco products) increased by 4.9%, prices for non-food products - by 0.8%, and services decreased by 0.4%. -0-
