Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today attended an investment business forum, referred to as My Step for Ararat Marz. The Premier next called at the EXPO exhibition of local products, which was attended by representatives of small, medium and major businesses, investors, foreign entrepreneurs, representatives of financial institutions.

Greeting the participants of the forum, Nikol Pashinyan said: “Dear guests, members of the government, MPs, journalists,

The ongoing and forthcoming economic changes in the Republic of Armenia are an absolute priority for us. I wish to emphasize that the most important prerequisite for economic change is the underlying ideology.

Today at the opening ceremony of the investment forum, I consider it necessary to once again talk about the philosophy and ideas, which in practice should be the basis of the economic revolution. We call this idea a personal effort, a change of the individual. It is important to understand that this is a direct continuation of the political changes that have occurred in our country.

What is the basic meaning of political change, what was the situation before and after this revolution? Before the revolution the philosophy, ideology was as follows: what could a citizen of the Republic of Armenia do? The answer to this question is known to all of us: in fact, a citizen of the Republic of Armenia could do nothing, or even if something could be done, it should be done with the permission of patrons. But who could do something in that system? The representatives of the political elite, who were demigods, who could decide destinies that were not limited to anything, yes, they had the status of demigods in the Republic of Armenia.

What has changed after the revolution and what can a citizen of the Republic of Armenia do now? The answer is as follows: The citizen of the Republic of Armenia can do everything; the citizens’ possibilities are not limited by the condition that we are talking about creative, legal changes and actions. Our citizens enjoy full freedom in tapping their cabalities.

This philosophical change today has turned the Republic of Armenia into one of the leading democratic countries in the world; this philosophical change is a turning point and will turn Armenia into one of the most economically developed countries in the world.

Today, not a single citizen of the Republic of Armenia faces any restrictions. However, many inertial processes emanating from the past interfere: sometimes people do not want to believe what they see and hear, people sometimes still need to be directed or oriented, and most people who want to make economic investments want to coordinate everything with the country’s leadership. Of course, we are ready for meetings but, nevertheless, it is necessary to understand that there are twenty-four hours in days, and seven days in a week. This is the inertia that hinders us today. Dear businessmen, all you can see and hear is our reality.

The Government’s chief task is to ensure that no one would ever need the government’s intervention in its economic activity. Our mission is to ensure that people in their daily lives need as little as possible of such intervention on the part of government agencies. The main task of the government is not to lead people, not to hinder people, not to shape the will of people, but to encourage people and to develop their creative abilities and skills.

Today there are dozens of such examples, for example, we took part in the Yerevan Wine Festival, which increased three, four times in three years. What did the government do? Just gave people the opportunity to realize their creative abilities. This is a phenomenon that changes the image and economic opportunities of the country.

The message of the government to citizens is as follows: you are strong and you are capable, you can develop and implement your creative skills. The main task of the government is to encourage all your initiatives, and we are working every day on this task.

On May 8, I will hold a press conference and will present in all detail the changes that have occurred in the Republic of Armenia during the past one year. It is important to note that much has changed in the Republic of Armenia, the most important thing has changed: the Republic of Armenia will never again be in despair, will not lose hope will not be the same as before.

The citizen of the Republic of Armenia is omnipotent. the citizens of the Republic of Armenia will bring prosperity to Motherland through their genie, hard work and talent”

The aim of the forum is to attract entrepreneurs from Armenia and the Diaspora in the process of developing the economy and communities of the region. The investment programs for the development of agriculture, industry, tourism and a number of other areas that may become ambitious business proposals for investors are presented. The forum also features industry discussions.

The business forum in Ararat Marz was initiated by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development and regional municipalities in the framework of regional business forums held by the National Center for the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses. In 2019, 7 more forums dedicated to the development of the regions and communities will be held in different regions of Armenia.

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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Ararat Group water production plant in Ararat Marz where he got familiarized with the plant’s operations and investment projects.

The Prime Minister was told that the plant has been producing water, mineral water and carbonated drinks since 2007 and has already invested some 40 million dollars altogether. 70% of products are exported to the USA, China and the Russian Federation.

Owing to their ongoing investment program, the Company will expand its capacity by 2020 to launch a production of beer. The number of jobs will be increased to 300-350 from the current 100.

Welcoming the Company’s development programs, Prime Minister Pashinyan said the Government is ready to possibly assist them with the implementation of the planned activities.

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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan summed up results of the My Step for Ararat Marz investment business forum. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the forum’s proceedings and referred to the new model for the development of fishing industry, introduced at the forum.

“From this platform, we heard the answer to the most important question for the region. I mean the future of fishing industry in Armenia. The proposed program calls for the Government’s attention because the question has been in the air for a long time now: we need to choose between the artesian basin and fishing industry. Consequently, the solution that was proposed today will indeed be successful. The decision will be implemented with the participation of the Agrarian University. This is our understanding of the activities of universities, since a university is not an institution that distributes diplomas, but an operating and proposing structure. I want to urge the new leadership of the university to carry on this process,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

The Head of Government noted that this is the third such forum. “What should be done with the materials presented here? The Government has to play a clear-cut role in this matter. Our next philosophical problem is to introduce a system of corporate partnership. There are people who have money, but no ideas, but there are people who have ideas, but no money. The problem of the old economic thinking was that people tried not to have partners at all. The most important task nowadays is to introduce such a culture that business people could trust one another,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

According to Nikol Pashinyan, the Government should collect all business proposals presented in the three forums and submit these packages for professional expertise in order to understand how realistic and feasible they are.

“The Ministry of Economic Development and Investment and the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development should submit their findings. We have an electronic platform for investment projects, where feasible proposals should be presented so that potential partners could find each other,” the Prime Minister noted and thanked the organizers and participants of the forum.