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

The government first approved a set of measures and a relevant timetable with a view to protecting the rights of those individuals disabled during military service and providing for their social inclusion. The reference note says that one of the most important tasks of the state is to ensure the social inclusion of those persons disabled in military action through a set of social, employment, educational, cultural, economic programs and measures. The program intends to assess the needs of those people who suffered disabilities in action through a multidisciplinary team, provide targeted and comprehensive services based on the needs so assessed, apply effective mechanisms for their social inclusion, including employment, and so on.

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Mesrop Arakelyan noted that based on best international practices, independent living centers will be set up to provide services to those who suffered disabilities in action. The first stage implies establishment of such centers in 6 regions, where the number of disabled servicemen is higher.

Nikol Pashinyan inquired about the process of providing all soldiers in need of lower limb prosthetics with prostheses that meet the highest modern standards. In response, Mesrop Arakelyan noted that the first stage has already been summed up. “We have completed a comprehensive survey of the requirements of people in need of prosthetics in accordance with international standards. Apart from assessing their health problems, we have studied the environment they live in, including their living conditions,” the Minister said.

The government amended one of its previous decisions based on the need to regulate the process of commercial fishing for whitefish in Lake Sevan. According to calculations carried out in 2020 by the National Academy of Sciences, the total mass of whitefish is 2345 tons in Lake Sevan, of which about 586.2 tons in total industrial stock.

The government approved an investment program presented by Magnolia-Comfort LLC for construction of a residential district in Zovuni village, Yeghvard community, Kotayk marz, and agreed to a proposal to alienate 3.3274 hectares of the land plot owned by Yeghvard community through direct sale.

The reference note says that the plot of land is currently in poor condition and contaminated; the use of this site for other purposes is not planned under community programs. It is recommended to implement an urban development program in order to make an effective use of land, provide a well-kept and harmonious living environment.

Over 11,898 million drams will be invested in the Zovuni project. The developer will also rebuild the local school, kindergarten and / or build a playground with an estimated cost of at least 50 million drams, and will report back the results to the Yeghvard community. Some 200-250 people will be employed on the site during construction, after which 35-40 people will work in the residential district’s service sector. Taxes will be paid to the state budget for a total amount of about 1.6-2.7 billion drams. The project will be completed within 5 years.