No abuses by Armenian transport ministry in construction of North-South motor road – minister insists
19.12.2016,
18:15
Vahan Martirosyan, Armenian minister of transport, communication and information technologies, summarizing the results of the ministry’s activity in 2016, said that the ministry has not been involved in any abuse committed during construction of the North-South motor road.
YEREVAN, December 19. /ARKA/. Vahan Martirosyan, Armenian minister of transport, communication and information technologies, summarizing the results of the ministry’s activity in 2016, said that the ministry has not been involved in any abuse committed during construction of the North-South motor road.
In July, Hovik Abrahamyan, former prime minister, voiced his dissatisfaction at the activity of Corsan Corviam, a Spanish company which is builder of the North-South road in Armenia.
The then premier pointed out the very slow advancement in the construction of Ashtarak-Talin section of the road and the already commissioned shoddy-built part of the section.
Information is also going around that the company has pocketed the financial resources intended for the construction.
The minister, however, insists that nothing wrong has happened here. In his words, after his appointment he initiated inspections, but they found no faults – neither the ministry nor the contractor have been involved in any wrongdoing.
At the same time, Martirosyan didn’t rule out that the contractor company might commit abuses, but, as he said, ‘this is not in the ministry’s competence’.
Along with that, he said that investments in the North-South road construction are coming, as before, despite some reduction, caused by the financial situation and the construction continues.
The minister said that the first stage of the project is already implemented – Yerevan-Artashat and Yerevan- Ashtarak sections have already built and commissioned.
The construction of Ashtarak-Talin and Talin-Lanjik-sections is under way now. It is planned to attract private investors for construction of Sisyan-Kajaran section.
The Armenian government approved January 14, 2010 the investment program to build the North-South transport corridor, as well as a $500 million framework loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank. The project is being funded also by the Eurasian Development Bank and the European Investment Bank.
The goal of the project is to upgrade Armenia’s main corridor road as part of a broader thrust to improve connectivity, and boost trade, growth and livelihood opportunities in the Caucasus and Central Asia sub-regions. Funds are being released by the Asian Development Bank periodically through a multitranche financing facility.
The transport corridor will stretch from the southern Armenian town of Meghri, on the border with Iran, to Bavra in the north on the border with Georgia. The North-South transport corridor will enable Armenia to mitigate the effects of the blockade imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey. ---0---
In July, Hovik Abrahamyan, former prime minister, voiced his dissatisfaction at the activity of Corsan Corviam, a Spanish company which is builder of the North-South road in Armenia.
The then premier pointed out the very slow advancement in the construction of Ashtarak-Talin section of the road and the already commissioned shoddy-built part of the section.
Information is also going around that the company has pocketed the financial resources intended for the construction.
The minister, however, insists that nothing wrong has happened here. In his words, after his appointment he initiated inspections, but they found no faults – neither the ministry nor the contractor have been involved in any wrongdoing.
At the same time, Martirosyan didn’t rule out that the contractor company might commit abuses, but, as he said, ‘this is not in the ministry’s competence’.
Along with that, he said that investments in the North-South road construction are coming, as before, despite some reduction, caused by the financial situation and the construction continues.
The minister said that the first stage of the project is already implemented – Yerevan-Artashat and Yerevan- Ashtarak sections have already built and commissioned.
The construction of Ashtarak-Talin and Talin-Lanjik-sections is under way now. It is planned to attract private investors for construction of Sisyan-Kajaran section.
The Armenian government approved January 14, 2010 the investment program to build the North-South transport corridor, as well as a $500 million framework loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank. The project is being funded also by the Eurasian Development Bank and the European Investment Bank.
The goal of the project is to upgrade Armenia’s main corridor road as part of a broader thrust to improve connectivity, and boost trade, growth and livelihood opportunities in the Caucasus and Central Asia sub-regions. Funds are being released by the Asian Development Bank periodically through a multitranche financing facility.
The transport corridor will stretch from the southern Armenian town of Meghri, on the border with Iran, to Bavra in the north on the border with Georgia. The North-South transport corridor will enable Armenia to mitigate the effects of the blockade imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey. ---0---
