Republican Party of Armenia

 Today, President Serzh Sargsyan visited the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs (MSY). The President toured a number of structural units of the Ministry staff, including the Department of Mass Sport and Physical Education Policy, the Department of Youth Policy and the Department of Sport Highest Achievements Policy, familiarized with working conditions, inquired about existing problems and upcoming plans, as well as talked to employees about the works carried out in the framework of their functions. Subsequently, President Serzh Sargsyan held a consultation with the leadership of the Ministry.

The Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, the Deputy Ministers and the Acting Head of Staff reported on the works implemented in the specific fields under their supervision, the current problems and the measures being implemented to deal with those problems, as well as on the development programs.

The Minister Yuri Vardanyan reported on the works accomplished by the Ministry in 2013, the sport achievements, the existing problems, as well as on the main activity directions and the forthcoming objectives of the current year.

The Deputy Minister Nazaret Mnatsakanyan reported on the works carried out in the specific field under his supervision, including the present condition of sports schools, the problems and the approaches of the Ministry to deal with those problems.

The other Deputy Minister Khachik Asryan presented the works carried out by the Ministry in the direction of mass sport and physical education policy during the last years, the organized mass sports events and their results, as well as the programs developed for the 2013-2017 cycle.

The Deputy Minister Arsen Qaramyan’s report was about the works carried out in the youth affairs field, the providing of information, grant programs and developed conceptions.

The Acting Head of Staff Mher Ananyan reported on the organizational structure of the Ministry, the works pertaining to the human resources and the current management, as well as the steps taken to raise the effectiveness of the personnel management.

The President gave questions to the speakers on separate issues, gave instructions to the staff in charge and answered the questions of the participants. In his address, Serzh Sargsyan touched upon the forthcoming tasks and the priority activities of the Ministry. The President stressed that the popularization of sports, physical education and a healthy lifestyle, as well as youth affairs are the state’s priorities in which the MSY plays a primary role. In addition, the President presented his observations on how to more effectively implement the works in that direction from now on. Serzh Sargsyan urged the Ministry staff to be more proactive in dealing with the Ministry's problems, not to become isolated in offices, and to propagate a healthy lifestyle in schools and other educational institutions by a personal example, as well as by the example of our best athletes, legends, in case of the MSY, by the example of the Minister as one of such legends. The President said that Armenia is lucky to have a Sport Minister who is a sports living legend and should become the hero and the ideal of thousands of children. According to the President, it is necessary to use that fact as far as possible. “I think you know that your first task should be to make the most of Yuri Vardanyan the legend. I am speaking to all of you, and nobody should think that I have taken into account the great organizational capacities of Yuri Vardanyan when I proposed him to become a minister. I proposed this man who is a living legend to become a minister so that we can also exhibit him as such.

How many of you have gone to a school with this man? How many times has this man met with young men during the last one year? How many times has he gone out, has entered a yard and has said, “Train up, train up children, in order to become like me.” Who should do that? You should do that Deputy Ministers and Heads of Staff, the ones who make the Minister’s working schedule. If you write 5 reports less I will not consider that a shortcoming, but if you let go of the young men and the children who can follow Yuri Vardanyan’s path, that will be a real drawback. You must be active,” said Serzh Sargsyan.

In his address, the President called the leadership to engage in effective cooperation with relevant non-governmental organizations (NGO) for the benefit of sports development in our country. “You should have said during your reports what works you have organized with the federations and the remained NGOs. I have nothing against any legal reference be it in terms of severity or mitigation, but what for is the Minister? In order to give certificates, that is to put certain limits on the NGOs? I am a President of one of the federations. Rather than using our potential, you put limits on us. Nobody has made me engage in that federation’s activities for more than 15 years. We should use such people’s potential and try to support them instead of fighting with the federations and trying to force them to do something.” emphasized the President.

In the end of the consultation, a group of MSY employees were awarded encouragements for their conscientious and effective work. The Head of “Sambo and Judo Child-Juvenile Olympic Sports School” State Non Commercial Organization (SNCO), instructor Eduard Tovmasyan, the Head of “Youth Events Implementation Center” SNCO Davit Hayrapetyan, the Head of “H. Gasparyan Chess and Draughts Child-Juvenile Olympic Sports School” SNCO Vladimir Hayrapetyan, the Head of the Division of Physical Education Policy of the Department of Mass Sport and Physical Educations Policy Eduard Mantashyan, the Head of the Division of Programs Coordination of the Department of Programs Management Aida Margaryan were awarded Letters of Commendation.