Thursday, 11 August 2016
Government Earmarks Funds for Solving Problems in Ararat and Gegharkunik Marzes
A regular Cabinet meeting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.
In accordance with a government decision, AMD 411,630.0 thousand will be allocated from the Government Reserve Fund for solving a variety of problems in Ararat and Gegharkunik Marzes of Armenia, of which Ararat Marz administration will get 316,000.0 thousand drams, while 95,630.0 thousand drams will go to Gegharkunik Marz Administration.
The money so earmarked will be used to refurbish a number of kindergartens, build internal gas networks in Small Vedi, Lusarat, Nor Kyanq and Mrgavet communities in Ararat Marz, as well as to renovate roofs and entrances of apartment buildings, the roofing of the central hospital and the floor of the maternity hospital in Martuni, etc.
In this connection, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan noted that communities are facing problems that call for emergency response, and instructed the relevant government departments to quickly prepare the necessary documentation in order to implement these programs by this fall.
The Government approved Armenia’s third program of action within the framework of the Open Government Partnership Initiative (OGPI). According to the reference note, the Republic of Armenia joined the Open Government Partnership Initiative in the fall of 2011. The OGPI aims to improve public administration through active involvement of civil society by promoting transparency and building confidence in government-citizen relations.
The program was developed on the basis of proposals submitted by both government and civil society. It has a clear-cut focus on transparency in budget funds spending, transparency and accountability in central and local government officials’ business trips and broader access to community leadership’s open format-based decisions. The program will help create a unified database of licenses, provide one-stop-shop services to citizens in military registration and enlistment offices, as well as implement a number of other key reforms.
The meeting decided that those foreign nationals attending the upcoming 18th Global Forum on Baby Nutrition as scheduled for September 5-9, 2016 shall be exempt from entry visa-related State duties. It is expected that the forum will be attended by 200-250 guests from 40 countries, including ministers and other senior officials.
The Government endorsed the bill on “Financial equalization,” which defines the concept of fiscal equalization principles, subsidies to community budgets and allocation procedures for calculating financial adjustment procedure.
Financial equalization is a key function of State budget development policies. Under the concept of financial equalization, the Government provides budget funds to those communities with weaker financial capabilities in the manner prescribed by law. The resources so allocated are spent by communities in the exercise of their statutory powers.
To host a festive event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, money will be made available from the Government Reserve Fund to the Ministry of Culture for reallocation to Classical Music NGO as a donation.
The Cabinet approved a draft addendum for the joint action plan in the fight against smuggling of nuclear and radioactive materials between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the United States of America.
The Government suspended one of its previous decision in a bid to address the problems faced throughout the process of granting foreign nationals a work permit (FWP), including the introduction of a system of labor market quotas and the development of a legal framework for the application of the one-stop-shop principle during the issuance of work permits.
Accordingly, it has been proposed to waive the work permit requirement for foreign nationals until January 1, 2018 pending the introduction of the labor market quota system and the development of a legal framework for the provision of one-stop-shop services to foreign citizens in quest of work permits.
