Thursday, 1 March 2018
Some Government Agencies to Provide Services during Non-Working Days
A Cabinet sitting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan. Before proceeding to the agenda, the Prime Minister issued a number of instructions.
The Premier first instructed to clean irrigation canals. Karen Karapetyan told the Minister of Territorial Administration and Development, the Chief of Police, Marz Governors, and proposed the Mayor of Yerevan to implement complex measures in order to prevent instances of dumping garbage into irrigation canals by individuals and legal entities, involving the relevant police units, if necessary.
Karen Karapetyan’s next instruction was about the improvement of the highway from Zvartnots airport to Yerevan. Considering that the improvement work is to be done within a short timeframe, the Premier gave the Finance Minister, the Chairman of State Committee for Urban Development, and the Yerevan Mayor a month’s time to jointly work out a plan for the road section improvement along with the relevant architectural solutions, installation of symbols, as well as the project documentation, including the expected financial costs and the corresponding package to submit to the Government Staff.
The Prime Minister set a maximum deadline of two months for the Mayor of Gyumri, together with the Kumayri Renaissance Investment Foundation, to complete the refurbishment of the road section from Shirak airport to Gyumri, improve the site adjacent to Gyumri Square, and the road leading to Yerevan.
The Prime Minister’s third assignment was to set up a working schedule for the customs service and other agencies during the upcoming non-working days. The Head of Government instructed the Chairman of State Revenue Committee, the Head of State Food Security Service and proposed to the Central Bank Chairman to ensure the continuity and uninterrupted supply of customs services to businesses in the period from March 8 to March 11 at all customs offices, at the relevant departments of the State Food Security Service and set up a duty according to a pre-arranged timetable, as well as provide the opportunity to make payments through bank subsidiaries operating at customs checkpoints.
The Government approved the concept of Engineering City and the timetable of its implementation. An area of 3 hectares adjacent to Bagrevand Street shall host the engineering City, which will be implemented through the model of public-private sector partnership. USD 21.2 million will be invested in the project. As a result, it is planned to prepare and train 1500 high quality IT specialists, create 2000 new jobs, and set up at least 20 newly established organizations.
The meeting approved the timetable of activities to be carried out under the concept of Smart City. A high-tech regional hub shall be established for the design of smart solutions; laboratory testing and production along with centers equipped with state-of-the-art technologies. The Smart City is supposed to promote the digitization of infrastructures and services, which will help boost inbound tourism, domestic production and other services.
The Government decided to alienate to A-Investments LLC in the form of a direct sale the plot of land of 10.3 thousand hectares and the relevant buildings and facilities belonging to 100% State-owned Nairit-2 CJSC for an amount of 626.9 million drams (including VAT) as estimated by an independent assessing entity.
A-Investments has expressed readiness to invest 7.5 billion drams in the complex with a view to implementing industrial and other business activities in the next 7-10 years. The project is expected to provide 250 new jobs.
An appropriate decision was made to provide State support to residents of border villages in the form of partial compensation for natural gas, electricity and irrigation water fees, as well as for the reimbursement of property and land taxes. The reference note says that 928,871.2 thousand drams have been allocated under the 2018 State budget bill that shall be provided to residents in 25 border communities.
