EU-Armenia economic cooperation discussed in Yerevan

Minister of Economic Development and Investments Tigran Khachatryan on Wednesday received a delegation led by Vasilis Maragos, Head of Unit for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Eastern Partnership at the EU Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations.
 
Welcoming the guests, Khachatryan hihgly praised the previously held discussions as very effective, promising to follow their agenda to consider future partnership opportunities.

The European official, for his part, hailed the past months’ political developments in Armenia (including the December 9 snap parliamentary elections), agreeing that they create absolutely new conditions allowing for proper steps to meet the desired targets. He called for active effort towards capitalizing or using the exisitng advantages, expressing the Union’s interest and willingness to assist in the reforms.

According to the Ministry’s press service, the sides also discussed plans for conducting investors’ conference in Armenia to promote an effective dialogue over practical proposals. They also considered the report being prepared by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to elaborate a guideline of investment needs necessary for the implementation of reforms.  

Khachatryan highly appreciated the EBRD’s observations as professional analysis, emphasizing its role for the Government’s planned discussions and actions over future priorities.

He also highlighted the EU’s technical and budgetary assistance as an important component in the developing cooperation with Armenia. The minister promised to continue the budgetary assistance projects to complete the ongoing reforms and initiate new projects “tailored to the current demands”.

Emphasizing the Ministry’s pivotal role in the coordination of the EU's annual Plan of Actions, Maragos said they now expect a revision, simplification and acceleration of the final approval procedures.

The European delegates and the minister further discussed the implementation of tourism projects in Armenia in the frameworks of the EU for Business Program. Infrastructure projects were also part of the meeting agenda.