Republican Party of Armenia

 A Cabinet sitting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan.

Opening the meeting, the Prime Minister referred to the financial market situation. “I would like to inform you that yesterday I had a meeting with the representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as well as the relevant agencies and companies.

Our international partners are fully supportive of our effort to stabilize the financial market following sharp fluctuations in the exchange rate due to external shocks. Beginning late yesterday and today, stabilization trends can be seen in the financial market, which I am sure will continue ahead. However, we are concerned about the high margins between the buying and selling rates at exchange outlets and some of the processes taking place in the consumer market. In particular, there was an apparent increase in prices of sugar, flour, and a number of other consumer products.

I hereby suggest Mr Shaboyan to ensure that the ECPC conducted a detailed study of the domestic sales of these products and report back the findings on a daily basis. I urge you all to be extremely exacting with regard to these abuses. The Government will not tolerate any unjustified price hike.”

Instructing the Minister of Healthcare to focus on the situation in the pharmaceutical market, the head of government issued relevant directives for all the authorities concerned to understand what is going on in that area.

After approving the agenda, the Government proceeded to discussion.

The Government approved a list of 32 border communities eligible for welfare support and a procedure to follow in providing assistance to them.

Gazprom Armenia CJSC was proposed to charge the bills from those customers residing in these communities consuming up to 360 cubic meters of natural gas at the rate of 50 percent of the fixed fee (including VAT) in the period from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, while the difference between the price charged will be refunded to Gazprom Armenia CJSC.

Armenian Electric Networks CJSC was proposed to charge the bills from those customers residing in these communities consuming up to 1440 kW of electricity at the rate of 50 percent of the fixed fee (including VAT) in the period from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, while the difference between the price charged will be refunded to Armenian Electric Networks CJSC.

The Executive next decided that irrigation water fees from those natural and legal persons residing in these communities will be charged at the rate of 50 percent of the specified amount in the period from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, with the gap to be refunded by the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

It was also decided that the annual amounts of land and property taxes for such agricultural and residential assets situated in the administrative area of said communities as have not been used due to combat operations and enemy shelling will be settled to community budgets by the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

The decision shall be effective for those relations arising from January 1, 2015.