In the National Assembly at the joint sitting of the RA NA Standing Committees on Economic Affairs and on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs the annual report “On the RA State Budget Execution for 2013” the head of “Free Democrats” party, crossbencher Khachatur Kokobelyan raised Armenia’s energy security issue, noting that day by day Armenia falls into dependence on Russian emperor.
“Today our economy breath depends on the diameter of the gas tube”,-said Khachatur Kokobelyan.
The president of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Vardan Ayvazyan tried to exclude the RA Deputy Minister of the Energy and Natural Resources Ara Simonyan answer the question.
” We will organize separate discussion on this issue “,- intervened Vardan Ayvazyan.
But nevertheless Ara Simonian said, noting that the Ministry has recently discussed Armenia’s energy security strategy, anticipating the involvement of international organizations in this field.
“Fortunately, Armenia has a second gas pipeline from Iran. And when the gas supply from Russia had stopped for more than a week, I believe our consumers did not feel it at all.We immediately activated our cooperation with the Iranian side”,-said Deputy Minister.
About the fate of Abkhazian railway Khachatur Kokobelyan interested from the RA Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication Artur Arakelyan.
The Deputy Minister replied that approximate studies have been done and therefore, over 200 million dollar investment is required in the mentioned sector for the repair and exploitation of the railway that hasn’t been operated for many years.” My opinion is that now the economic stimulus is missing in order to find an investor who will be willing to invest. For example, as Iran-Armenia railway is becoming certain, as the investors will be found”,-he said.
MP agreed that the economic stimulus is missing for the repair of the railway. “ We can conclude that the enterpreneurs are not much interested in the way to Russia or from Russian to Armenia. Sorry, but this is the political part”,-said Kokobelyan.
Khachatur Kokobelyan interested from the RA Minister of Economy Karen Chshmarityan how much has been spent on the liberalization of air. “I’m glad that the authorities constantly say the linearization of air, hence it is derives that in the past the air hasn’t been liberalized. How much has been spent on the liberalization of air and do you consider that the air has already been liberalized as we all know that in this scars conditions the economy and the situation of citizens are directly depend on both from the breathing air from the external world”,-he said.
Chshmarityan replied that the policy of open air has been stated in the previous autumn and money has purely spent on researches. There is no need of support.
“Yes, it was announced and I can inform you that in two or three directions memorandum, contract have been signed. Iran has signed the contract, now we are negotiating with Iraq. We try sign contracts not only with European countries , but also with the Middle East and the Persian Gulf countries, because our primary geographic position is quite handy in that regard, due to this policy some airline prices have come down”,- he said, expressing hope that that about twenty- twenty five percent transportation growth will be as a result.