Tuesday, 12 April 2005
Today Prime Minister A. Margaryan has called a consultative meeting RA Minister for Coordination of Territorial Administration and Industrial Infrastructure Operations, the Minister of Agriculture, the Chairmen of the Water Committee and the State Committee for Immovable Property Cadastre under the Government, the Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission, the Mayor of Yerevan, marz governors, heads of different units of the Government Staff. Discussed were issues concerning the progress in agricultural activities for the 2005 spring season, the preparadness of the Water Committee to irrigation activities, the use of farmland within and outside the administrative boundaries of different communities, the preparations for local self-government elections, the regional efforts for commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Prime Minister A. Margaryan noted that the government had started the preparations for the 2005 spring season as early as in autumn, 2004, when all the ministries and agencies concerned were given appropriate directions for the supply of the needed inputs to marzes and individual communities, including seeds, farm equipment and implements, in order to avoid last year's delays.
Reporting the progress in the spring campaign, Minister of Agriculture David Lokyan advised that the government's arrangement for an early start of agricultural preparations had been quite effective. In particular, 1000 tons of good-quality seed-potatoes had been imported into the country. According to preliminary estimates, areas under wheat crop were up by about 8.000 ha. The efforts for the provision of sufficient quantities of fertilizers to marzes and communities will have been completed by late May. The Minister stressed that in order to address the problems arising from the use of land in Krasnoselsk, Amasia, Syunik and Tavoush, a scheme for subsidies was being developed for these marzes. Mr. Lokyan also reported that as recommended by the Prime Minister, a number of government-funded measures had been taken in the quasi-totality of marzes to eventually prevent spring floods. Veterinary services and the efforts for pasture irrigation and supply of fruit-bearing young plants to the frost-hit regions were said to be satisfactory by the speaker.
Information on the level of preparadness of the Water Committee was presented by Mr. Andranik Andreasyan, Chairman of the State Water Committee who noted that the preparations in this area, too, were better than last year. In particular, the water mains had been cleaned and tested, the 2005 financial priorities for the given field are due to be clarified soon on the basis of the proposals made by the unions of water users. According to the speaker, 16 companies of water users had given up the subsidy scheme and would cope with the arising problems on their own. The balance of these companies would continue receiving State support. The speaker stressed the need in making a better use of the possibilities of the natural flow systems.
Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Garegin Azaryan reported that arrangements had been made with marz governors to start the preparations for the polls as early as last year. He emphasized the efforts for the establishment of polling-districts and the drafting of electoral lists that called for continued backing on the part of marz governors. The Chairman of Central Electoral Commission was suggested to proceed to the elections in Yerevan in September and to start the polls in marzes in October.
With reference to the local self-government elections, the Prime Minister stressed the need in ensuring that all candidates were provided with equal terms irrespective of their political affiliation, in strict accordance with the letter and the spirit of the law.
Mr. Manouk Vardanyan, Chairman of the State Committee for Immovable Property Cadastre under the Government of the Republic of Armenia, reported on the use of farmland within and outside the administrative boundaries of local communities, the progress in transferring State reserve land to local communities with.
The meeting has also discussed the preparations in the regions for commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
