Republican Party of Armenia

 A Cabinet sitting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

Opening the meeting, the Prime Minister referred to the question of natural gas caloric value, which has been kept in public spotlight recently (see separate).

Proceeding to the agenda, the government approved the 2014 business climate improvement action plan, which seeks to enhance the country’s overall competitiveness. The steps envisaged will help simplify the administrative procedures needed to start and carry on businesses, promote rapid growth of small and medium enterprises, implement a balanced tax and customs policy.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan deemed it necessary to work out a comprehensive plan for the next 4 months to include the proposals voiced during the latest discussion of the question at hand.

In order to develop a national brand for Armenia, the government amended a previous decision to provide AMD62mn to the Ministry of Economy. The Minister of Economy was told to sign a grant arrangement with the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia to raise the balance of USD 225 thousand from other sources.

The meeting approved a procedure for the monitoring of postal services. Monitoring shall identify, analyze and assess the significance of services provided to individuals and organizations, including the amount of time and money spent on the final outcome. Data collected during statistical surveys and public opinion polls shall serve to formulate the qualitative indicators of postal services.

To build up a common information space and an integrated information system as part of Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space, the Government Staff was recognized as the authorized entity for the national segment.

Under the next paragraph, the SRC was recognized as the authorized entity for the creation of a corresponding information system for cooperation between member-State customs services. E-Government Infrastructure Investment Office CJSC was assigned as the operator of the Armenia component of the electronic data processing infrastructure. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources was authorized to coordinate and implement cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Commission.

Electricity-Energy System Operator CJSC was recognized as the authorized entity to facilitate access to natural monopoly-related services in the energy sector with CU-member States.

The meeting next established that those foreign citizens included in the delegations invited to attend the first Pan-Armenian Winter Games due from February 24 through March 2, 2014 will be exempted from the payment of entry visa duties.

In conclusion, the government passed a decision to finance the preparation and implementation of the March 9, 2014 local elections of community heads and aldermen in over 50 rural communities of Armenia.