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

The government amended one of its previous decisions in a bid to increase the effectiveness of measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). According to acting Minister of Healthcare Anahit Avanesyan, citizens with a certificate of vaccination – “green passport” - will no longer need to take a PCR test upon arrival in Armenia.

“In fact, both the PCR test certificate and the “green passport” will act in parallel as a precondition for crossing the border. It should be borne in mind that this is a requirement for citizens who want to enter Armenia, while other countries may change their policies over time. You need to be careful, and before leaving the country you need to see what requirements the host country is putting forward,”- the Acting Minister said.

Anahit Avanesyan reported another amendment, which lifts the requirement for PCR testing for one-year-old children. “Following surveys, we decided not to involve children under the age of 1 year. In case family members have tested negative, there is sufficient chance that a child under the age of one year may also test negative,” she said.

The government approved the signing of a memorandum-agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development on providing a grant to Armenia from the Statehood and Peacekeeping Fund to support conflict-affected families. The project will have a total budget of USD 3,718,218. Four programs will be implemented under the grant arrangement to pay benefits to internally displaced persons from Artsakh and to those families having sheltered them in Armenia, remuneration of labor and temporary employment of internally displaced persons.

By the government’s decision the budget of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports will be increased by 2 billion 942 million drams in 2021. Funds shall be made available to the Urban Development Committee to ensure the continuity of the modular buildings project for 15 schools with a small number of students, as well as for building a modular kindergarten for 144 children in Arevik community of Armavir Marz and preparing the cost estimates for similar kindergartens in 9 communities.

The government approved the draft law “On amending the law of the Republic of Armenia “On Joint Stock Companies.” The bill is meant to ensure the protection of the interests of small shareholders. Armenia can thereby improve its position on the Protection of Small Shareholders’ Interests index in the World Bank’s Doing Business report.

The government amended one of its previous decisions on providing primary assistance to RA citizens returning to Armenia involuntarily or voluntarily. The latter will be provided with consulting services according to their needs.