Thursday, 24 November 2016
Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan puts in application to join the Republican Party
A regular Cabinet meeting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan.
Before proceeding to the agenda, the Prime Minister made a statement: “Today I have applied for membership of the Republican Party of Armenia. I think this step was logical and predictable for many people, but I want to explain why.
The Prime Minister’s office was offered to me by President Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republican Party of Armenia.
2. Each government must have political support. Our government was first of all the government of the Republican Party of Armenia.
3. Even if we disregard the first two items I mentioned, some people may ask a theoretical question: why do you not create or established another party, which might provide you political support? It simply would be unjustified. Having the problem of Artsakh and the threats to the security of our country, we must avoid any destabilization process and developments.
4. Which party could be a political fulcrum for changes? I think the Republican Party of Armenia, as the conservative ideology of the party is familiar to me, and there are many people acceptable to me. It is extremely important that at the time I was invited to hold the office of Prime Minister, and afterwards my main task was the following: there is much to change in the country’s economic and social life, especially in public administration, which means that the change must start with and from ourselves. This question is clearly posed by the Republican Party of Armenia. There have been very open and honest conversations inside the Party and self-criticism in many cases more severe than imagined outside.
5. Assuming the post of Prime Minister, I became a new participant of the process to change and be changed, taking responsibility for my share of the burden. Given all this, I made up my mind to join the Republican Party.
6. In this new situation, my friends, supporters, too many people want to become involved in this process and give a new impetus to this movement. I wonder whether it is imperative for the non-party ministers in the government and my team to join the Republican Party. There is no compulsion. It is a conscious and ideological decision.
7. As with the other parties, the Republican Party has proceeded from objective and subjective considerations to be always effective. But in my opinion, the Republican Party is the party that is aware of its responsibility for the security and development, and decided to improve, and has this potential.”
Money will be allocated to the Defense Ministry from the Government’s reserve fund with a view to arranging medical treatment in the Federal Republic of Germany for Mher Petrosyan who has got a bullet injury while performing his military duties. With another decision, money will be allocated to the Defense Ministry in order to organize medical treatment in the Russian Federation for Ashot Grigoryan who got a gunshot wound while performing a military duty.
To fulfill the obligations assumed in order to provide co-financing as part of the financing arrangements under the export credit agreement signed between the Armenian and Russian governments, the Government amended a previous decision to make redistributions in the 2016 State budget.
In pursuance of the Prime Minister’s instructions, the Executive revised the expediency of several State non-profit organizations operations as standalone entities. As a result, some of them will be reorganized in the form of merger. Accordingly, relevant decisions have been adopted.
The meeting decided to expand the list of services provided by such operators as will be allowed to exercise the functions of public service providers. The latter will be reserved the right to provide a number of services provided by the Police. In particular, the allocation of a registration certificate instead of a certificate of ownership of the vehicle, providing a new certificate instead of a certificate of registration of lost or worn out exchange registration certificate, providing functions for international vehicle registration certificate.
The Government next approved the draft of the fourth Development Policy loan agreement between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Armenia is expected to get a budget loan to the extent of USD 50 million.
The meeting went on to approve a draft memorandum of understanding on future development plans for transport cooperation between the governments of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkmenistan. The MOU will promote mutually beneficial cooperation in the transport sector, will provide favorable conditions for the two countries, as well as the territories of the two countries to facilitate cargo and passenger transit to third countries.
In conclusion, the Government approved proposals to sign an air communications agreement between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of Republic of Moldova, as well as an air communication agreement between the Government of Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The agreements are aimed at the full, proper implementation of relations with partner countries in the field of air services, as well as to ensure a level playing field for respective air carriers through the introduction of open skies policies.
