A Cabinet meeting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The Government first approved Armenia’s business environment improvement program for 2020-2023. The Program will ensure the continuity of reforms implemented by the Government of Armenia aimed at improving the business and investment environment of the Republic of Armenia. It is supposed to alleviate the administrative and financial burden in those sectors where our country may have a competitive edge on other countries, while ensuring the development of sectors that have achieved tangible success in recent years.

Highlighting the decision, Nikol Pashinyan said, “A few days ago the Security Council submitted a report on Armenia’s progress in global indicators. There are dozens of such indicators, and Armenia has made significant progress in most of them. In the meantime, we have little or no progress in some global indicators. I have set them aside so that we could discuss them with the Deputy Prime Minister and other cabinet members. The doing business index is of course what matters most to us. At the same time, our political benchmark must be clear: we need to create the best possible business environment in Armenia, since the necessary political preconditions for this are in place.”

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of global indicators in facilitating foreign investment inflows. Nikol Pashinyan noted that the first and foremost principle in dealing with the business environment and citizens is to refrain from unnecessary interference and assist where possible.

The Premier next referred to the Global Gender Gap Report, which deals with gender-based abortions and noted that it is inadmissible. The Head of Government told those responsible to prevent such incidences.

The meeting next approved the Government Program Progress Report, which will be submitted to the National Assembly in the prescribed manner.

The report was developed with the involvement of all stakeholders. It includes output and numerical performance indicators for the Government program. The report takes note of the “100 facts about New Armenia,” which the Prime Minister makes public on a regular basis. The report is structured in tune with the Government Program and comprises 8 sections.

Referring to the report, Nikol Pashinyan said: “I think accountability is an important part of our work. I mean not just the government, but the ministries as well. I believe that such reports and their specific sections evidence each ministry’s performance, including the previous 3 editions of 100 Facts. I suggest doing a self-check and see which of those 100 facts is relevant to individual government agencies, after which you can even make a self-assessment of the quality of your own work.” 

The Government approved the proposal to sign the protocol on amending the arrangement of October 10, 2014 on Armenia’s accession to the Treaty on Eurasian Economic Union of May 29, 2014. Originally scheduled for January 1, 2020, the projected increase in customs duties will be delayed by one year, with the exception of overland vehicles included in the 87 product group.

Highlighting the decision, Nikol Pashinyan noted: “In fact, the preferential regime for more than 600 products is extended for another year. That means at least USD 30 million in savings for the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, and we hope that the savings will be used correctly to boost the economy. But the procedure still has to go through, and we must be swift in getting them into effect as soon as possible.”