Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan paid a working visit to Ararat Marz of Armenia. The Head of Government met with the heads of communities in regional center Artashat to discuss challenges and development prospects.

The Prime Minister noted that the purpose of the visit was to familiarize with the situation on the spot and get a first-hand view of existing problems. “Ararat is one of Armenia’s largest agricultural regions of Armenia. There are also industrial enterprises, especially in the food industry, it is very important to learn about your expectations of the government. In general, I spoke several times about our long-term tasks: in fact, to put it conditionally, currently we seem to be an agrarian country, and our task is to reconvert it from an agrarian country into an industrial one, but this does not mean that agriculture is not reserved a place in this model. On the contrary, we hope that agriculture’s efficiency will increase significantly during this process.

What do we mean by increasing efficiency? First of all, we mean that land will be cultivated using more modern technologies that will allow our farmers to get a really tangible income, and agriculture will really become the most important source of income, so that people will not make ends meet, but get results from their work, ensure their well-being,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

The Premier stressed that and supporting and getting farmers familiarized with modern technologies is very important, but one must be cautious in this matter. “We should not try to advise villagers how to milk a cow or how to sow, but should have the courage to tell our villagers that in the 21st century the old methods will not bring the results we want to achieve. Of course, no one can forbid anyone to cultivate their garden and milk the cow the way they want. But we really need to be able to inform our compatriots about modern technologies in a bid to increase productivity, yield, etc., and, of course, to help them by some financial programs, to encourage them to use these technologies with a focus on eco-products because the key condition for our farmers’ competitiveness is that our farm and food products must be environmentally friendly and meet all high standards,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

Ararat Marz Governor Garik Sargsyan reported that the implementation of the plan to collect own revenues this year for the reporting period is 100.2%. In 2018 the construction of the medical center of the Vedi community for the amount of 32 million drams was completed. The governor noted that in 2018, within the framework of urgent programs in the communities of the region, it is planned to implement 25 programs in the sphere of drinking and irrigation water. The cost of the programs is 413 million 800 thousand drams. 11 of the mentioned programs concern the construction of an internal network of drinking water.

The cost of the programs is 152 million 930 thousand drams. 11 programs deal with the construction of internal and external irrigation networks. The cost of the programs is 221 million 800 thousand drams. 3 programs are in the sphere of urban development. It was noted that as a result of the implementation of urgent programs to improve the water infrastructure, it is possible to significantly reduce the problems of irrigation and drinking water supply in the region.

The Governor presented to the Prime Minister details of programs to improve the health, education, culture, urban development infrastructure implemented in a number of communities in the region in co-financing the Armenian government and communities in cooperation with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Among other investment projects in Masis, the construction of the Tumo center is planned, with investments amounting to about $ 5 million.

Touching upon the volume of harvesting grapes, Garik Sargsyan said that as of September 20, 2018, the region's enterprises purchased 22,797 tons of grapes. The Prime Minister inquired about the operation of drip irrigation systems and anti-hail stations in the region. It was noted that about 70 hectares of gardens in the region are being irrigated by a drip irrigation system, 99 anti-hail stations have been installed, which protect 7,920 hectares of agricultural land from hail. However, one of the four anti-hail stations in Surenavan did not work, because, according to the governor, the station was not filled with gas. As a result, about 120 hectares of gardens were damaged, and villagers suffered damage amounting to 52 million drams.

Nikol Pashinyan noted that, despite the fact that the controversial effectiveness of anti-hail stations has always been widely debated, there is a specific example that proves their usefulness. The Prime Minister meant Golden Grape Armas Company which is operating in Aragatsotn Marz. He noted that a week earlier he had visited the Company, and while introducing the anti-hail system, the CEO assured that the anti-hail stations work efficiently in case of normal gas filling, and that the gardens of the company had not suffered from hail since the establishment of those stations.

“The conclusion is that the problem is not in the work of the stations, but in their management,” the Prime Minister said and instructed the Minister of Agriculture, together with other interested agencies, to seriously discuss the effectiveness of anti-hail stations, determine what kind of gas is filled in individual communities and report back the findings. The Head of Government considered it unacceptable that farmers may suffer due to the inactivity of officials and executives, while the affected farmers expect compensation not from a specific official, but from the government.

“Surenavan suffered damage amounting to 52 million drams. Now, community residents naturally expect the government to provide symbolic support. I say why not those officials who are to blame for the damage?

Dear residents, first turn to your local officials, and then ask the government for support, because you need not be robbed and keep silent instead. This option will not work. Go, take care of your officials. Take into account all this when you elect a head of community, a deputy or someone else,” Nikol Pashinyan said, stressing that community residents should monitor the work of regional and community municipalities, everyone should feel responsibility and take part in solving problems.

The Prime Minister also touched on the demand for tomatoes and their high market price this year. It was noted that the main reason for this is the abnormally high thermal background in the republic and a malignant disease – the mole. As a result, this year the harvest was 35 thousand tons less than last year. The community leaders told the Premier that the spread of moths is quite large, and since there are no effective methods to deal with them in open fields, unlike greenhouses, farmers annually reduce tomato planting areas.

Stressing the importance of this issue, the Head of Government instructed the Minister of Agriculture to submit a specific program to deal with it within a month’s time. The meeting next touched upon the proper use of water and the problem of waste disposal in wastewater. In this regard, Nikol Pashinyan noted: “The government set the task to make sure that Sevan is left alone, and for this we need to spare our water resources. All these problems are closely interconnected, and we need handling problems step by step in order to break the chain and destroy the corruption schemes.”

Summing up the discussion, the Head of Government stressed the need to abide by the logic of solving problems on a daily basis. “My assignment to you is very simple: try to solve at least a small, but some specific problem every day. We must solve problems step by step,” the Prime Minister concluded.

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Within the framework of his working visit to Ararat Marz, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited industrial enterprises. The Premier first called at Artfood cannery in Artashat, and attended the opening of a new line for processing tomatoes, which is expected to increase the growth of purchases and production. Nikol Pashinyan toured the workshops processing tomato and fruit, producing tomato paste, juices, canned food, etc.

The management of the company informed the Prime Minister that in the framework of the investment program for the modernization of equipment and infrastructure of the plant in 2018, $ 3.5 million was invested. Artfood commissioned technology patented by the Italian Cavalieri tomato processing company, which is the only such production line in the EAEU. It was noted that currently the company employs more than 1,000 employees (growth in 2018 was 25 percent).

As a result of cooperation with small and medium-sized enterprises this year, the harvest of agricultural products doubled, exceeding 2 billion drams. Production of the company is exported to Russia, Georgia, Belgium, USA, Canada, England and Kazakhstan. In connection with the development programs, the Prime Minister was informed that in the next five years the company plans to double production growth (it is planned to create a new production hall), to increase the export volume 3.5 times, to increase the number of offered assortment and improve the quality of products.

The management of Artfood also informed the head of the government that currently there are about 100 seasonal vacancies at the factory with a salary of 90,000 drams, which, however, are not replenished, because people do not want to lose unemployment benefits. The Prime Minister noted that the government is implementing reforms to change the logic of poverty on the logic of work and encouraging employment.

Then the Prime Minister also visited the Ararat winery to get acquainted with the harvesting process of the grapes and the current results. It was noted that in 2018 the plant plans to purchase 14-18 thousand tons of grapes, and at the moment already harvested 7 thousand tons of grapes. Currently, new wine containers are being installed, which will allow buying about 20 thousand tons of grapes per year. It was noted that grapes are purchased without any sort and quantitative restrictions, and the sales volume for the last 10 years has increased dramatically, amounting to 14-18 thousand tons. The sales volume amounted to 4-7 million bottles. Work is underway to enter the markets not only of the CIS, but also of the countries of Europe.

Nikol Pashinyan walked through the shops. The management of the company presented the current and planned work to the Prime Minister, as well as future investment projects. It was noted that at present the plant is working to increase the level of technical and technological capacity, storage capacity and volume increase. It also provides for the creation of a farm support service to alleviate the burden of agricultural work for farmers and to obtain better products. This will also provide an opportunity to change the culture of viticulture and grape varieties, and to strengthen the relationship between processing companies and farmers.

The Prime Minister noted the importance of further development of the food industry and processing agriculture in the Ararat region and stressed that the executive branch is ready to support this process within the framework of state mechanisms. At the end of the working visit to Ararat region, Prime Minister Pashinyan also visited the Inter Aqua fish company in Masis where he got acquainted with the production capacity and development prospects.

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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Yeraskh community as part of his working visit to Ararat Marz. The Head of Government called at the community school to get acquainted with the ingoing rehabilitation activities.

The head of the community said that the road leading to the school had been asphalted, the school cafeteria, where 116 pupils are studying, was also repaired and the necessary conditions were available for effective implementation of the Sustainable School Catering program. It was also noted that the government’s decision provided for the allocation of funds for the reconstruction of the community school and the establishment of a kindergarten in one of the buildings of the school. Construction work will begin in the near future.

Then Nikol Pashinyan met with community residents to listen to their problems, which concerned health care, providing educational privileges, improving the infrastructure of the community, etc. Addressing the residents of Yeraskh, the Prime Minister stated, in part: “We highly appreciate the fact that you are in the border zone and guard our border. I want to assure you that the solution of all problems is on our agenda. There are many problems, and they will not be solved immediately, but it is necessary to begin to solve specific problems with small steps. It is necessary to continue to work, because all problems must be solved through joint work. Our revolution occurred when we finally managed to realize that this cannot be done solely by a political leader. A revolution can happen when each of us takes a share in it, and the revolution occurred when all our citizens realized that their position was crucial irrespective of whether they wanted it or not, or should they take a step or not. And it is not by chance that the process that led to the change of power was called My Step. Now we are nearing another stage, namely how to address the problems of our country - social, economic? We must handle them in tune with the aforementioned scheme that we call My Step. The government should take its step, but either the citizens should take their step, starting with the simplest questions,” Nikol Pashinyan stressed that the main task of the government is to encourage labor, and every citizen has to complete a specific task in developing our country.

According to the Prime Minister, now all obstacles that limit business opportunities have been eliminated and it is necessary to continue working within the framework of the model laid in the basis of the revolution.

“We should not act as a government that distributes bread, but as a government that helps people earn their bread, because we believe that the Armenians are working people. All our problems will be solved owing to hard work and effort. Today, Today we must accomplish economic, agricultural, educational revolutions, and each of you should be the leader,” the Prime Minister underscored.

Then Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the house-museum of the National Hero of Armenia, Hero of Artsakh Vazgen Sargsyan. Accompanied by Vazgen Sargsyan’s brothers -Aram and Armen Sargsyans - Nikol Pashinyan toured the Museum. The Prime Minister signed the Book of Honorary Guests. The Premier also visited Vazgen Sargsyan’s father Zaven Sargsyan.

Nikol Pashinyan’s working visit to Ararat Marz ended with a meeting with the local population in the central square of Artashat. In his speech, the head of government, in particular, noted: “During my visits to the region, I seek allies, not in the party, political terms, but allies who are ready to bear their share of the burden of development of Armenia. Today I found an amazing ally during this visit, this ally - 84-year-old Knarik Mnatsakanyan with his 90-year-old husband. I met her at the entrance to the Ararat winery. It turned out that she and her husband have a vineyard at 7000 meters, and for several years now they have received 25 tons of grapes, which they give to the plant, providing 20 jobs and having the same problems as everyone else.

But in the person of Knarik Mnatsakanyan, I found a very important ally, who does not wait for someone to solve her problem, and the problem is not in the money. The problem is self-esteem, enjoyment of work. I consider allies of the future Armenia, the new Armenia all those people who consider work to be the highest human mission, who do not expect that someone will give them alms or help, and they are ready to create their own good.

We must ensure a high retirement pension, a high salary for the employee, but we must understand that the state budget is formed as a result of the work of working people. The policy of our government is to encourage the working people. Starting from January 1, 2019, the minimum pensions will be increased from 18,000 to 25,000 drams and will correspond to the minimum consumer basket. But if we want this pension to become more, the logic of work should act in the country.”

The Prime Minister pointed out that economic development is today the greatest challenge, and it can be solved if the economy follows the logic of the Armenian revolution. “The government has its share of effort, but we cannot succeed without your support. The revolution was not only the result of the efforts exerted by my political team and myself; the further development of our economy and our country is not the task of the government alone. The citizens of the Republic of Armenia should not ask for help, instead they should extend a helping hand, since we are bound to rise and raise others. This is the most important thing, and above all those who are creating added value should be appreciated in our country,” Nikol Pashinyan concluded.