Armenian government approves draft program 2008-2012

YEREVAN, April 28. /ARKA/. The RA Government approved at today’s special session its draft program 2008-2012.

According to the document, GDP (gross domestic product) is expected to grow by 8%-10%. Annual investments will increase by 10% in the coming years. The Government plans to reduce disproportional regional development.

Non-agricultural employment is expected to increase by 10%.

The share of public revenues in the annual GDP will grow by 0.3pct-0.4pct.

The Government also focuses on poverty reduction, the general poverty line being below 11.2% (extreme poverty level being below 1.6%). The country’s multilevel pension system will help raise pensions and increase financing of social insurance by 6.2%.

Healthcare and education financing will increase by 2.2% and 3.5% respectively.

RA Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan said the basis for the government program is the Poverty Reduction National Strategy Program. Provisions of the RA President’s election program and proposals submitted by coalition are included in it.

The government’s objective is to ensure the country’s security, welfare of citizens and socially vulnerable people.

The program focuses on the country’s stability and formation of a democracy-based civil society. The government’s program aims at ensuring the supremacy of law and free economic competition, as well as uniting Armenians all over the world.

National security and economic development are priority-driven issues. Stable macroeconomic policy will help reduce the major difference between the population income in Armenia and advanced countries.

The program makes provisions for burning issues on defense, national security and public order.

Another focus of the program is cooperation of local and foreign entrepreneurs.

It is necessary to improve services provided by government bodies and local governments. The country will have an electronic management system soon to coordinate activities of local governments and government bodies, thus reducing to minimum contacts between citizens and civil servants. This will help combat corruption.

The government considers it important to develop science and education. The program contributes to regional development and lightens the burden of Yerevan by moving some functions from the capital city to the country’s regions. Another priority-driven issue is social security. Z. Sh. –0--