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

Before proceeding to the agenda, the Prime Minister asked Healthcare Minister Arsen Torosyan to report progress in the fight against coronavirus. Arsen Torosyan said all necessary measures had been taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus. “We have one confirmed case at the Nork Infectious Disease Hospital, and 31 citizens isolated in Tsaghkadzor. The health status of all these people is normal: no one has complaints, including the infected patient. His wife was examined yesterday, and her infection was not confirmed,” the minister said, adding that tests are carried out on a daily basis and the situation is under control.

Arsen Torosyan provided information on the global situation with coronavirus, noting that the necessary restrictive measures, including with China, will be discussed within 2-3 weeks.

Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Spors Araik Harutyunyan said that classes are likely to resume from Monday, March 9. “We are in daily contact with the Ministry of Healthcare. At the moment, in fact, we do not have special instructions so as not to resume the academic process. If we do not have further instructions in the coming days, we will resume classes from Monday,” the Minister said.

The Government submitted proposals on the draft law On Amending the Law of the Republic of Armenia On Customs Regulation. The bill was finalized on the basis of the proposals from the government. The amendment provides for more favorable conditions for citizens returning to Armenia to import their property into the country without paying customs duties.

SRC Chairman David Ananyan said that under the applicable legislation, the main impediment is that a person can take advantage of this privilege if he or she has not stayed in the Republic of Armenia for 180 or more days in a year over the past 5 years. The amendment suggests the following wording: “if he or she was absent from the Republic of Armenia for a minimum of 915 days over the past 5 years (1825 days).

The Government amended one of its previous decisions. As a result, it will be possible to operate mobile and modular slaughterhouses in accordance with the applicable law.

The meeting next decided to determine the amount of natural losses incurred in the production of grape, honey, fruit and berry distillates and vodka, which will allow business entities to deduct from the gross income the amount of natural losses incurred in the production process. The decision suggests extending the regulations applicable in the production of brandy and alcohol to the production of fruit vodka.

The Government approved the birth rate improvement program and an action plan for 2020-2023. The program is meant to improve the situation with the reproductive health of adolescents and youth, prevent reproductive and perinatal losses.