A regular Cabinet meeting took place today, chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The Prime Minister announced at today's Cabinet meeting that according to the indicator of economic activity, trade turnover in Armenia has increased by approximately 18 percent, which is not only related to the increase in physical volumes, but is also an indicator of transparent, that is, visible trade. "I also want to record that the indicator of economic activity in February was 11.3 percent, the foreign trade turnover increased by 79.5 percent, where the export increased by 2.1 times, and the import by 163 percent. Construction continues to grow at a very high pace - 13.9 percent, trade - 18.2 percent, services - 21 percent. The growth of the industry was 0.7 percent in February, compared to February of the previous year, and 1 percent according to the indicators of January and February. We have a goal to record greater and more visible growth in industry, and the issue is not just in mining. We formulated a strategic goal to increase the degree of complexity of our economy," said the Head of the Government.

Summarizing, the Prime Minister noted that the economic activity index for January and February is 10.9 percent. "I want to record that for two months we have been recording an economic activity index of more than 10 percent. The primary task of the private and public sector is to maintain this pace of economic activity so that we can solve our task, which is recorded in the Government's Action Plan for 2021-2026. We must ensure at least 7 percent annual economic growth and we must consistently work in this direction."

The Government approved the bills on amendments and additions to the Law on Scientific and Scientific-Technical Activities, amendments to the Law on Higher and Post-Graduate Professional Education and on amendments to the Law on State Administration System Bodies. The adoption of the draft laws will make it possible to align the legal acts regulating the fields with the current state of higher education and science development and international standards, will contribute to the progress and dynamic development of these fields. In order to improve and modernize the legal relations in the field of scientific and scientific-technical activities, it is planned to create a new body of the state administration system - the Higher Education and Science Committee.

Nikol Pashinyan highlighted the adoption of the bills and emphasized once again that without deep and substantial changes in the field of education, which will lead to an increase in the quality and efficiency of education, it will not be possible to ensure the future of the country. "After examining in detail the existing problems in the field of higher education, we noted that there is a discrepancy between the physical infrastructure and the content and modern standards. the higher education system has continuously isolated itself from the research component. The strategy of education defines the integration of research with other university components where it is necessary and logical", said the Prime Minister, emphasizing that within the framework of the academic city, it is planned to have up to 8 universities fully financed from the state budget, which will be formed on the basis of the mentioned two components.

The Government approved the bills on amendments to the Law on the Flag of the Republic of Armenia and amendments and additions to the Code on Administrative Offenses. The bills propose to specify the requirements for the flag of the Republic of Armenia, in particular, to define the requirement that the flag of the Republic of Armenia be complete, clean and not discolored, and the responsibility for violating the requirements for the flag, as well as to separate the scale of responsibility for administrative violations committed by physical, legal and official persons. Taking into account the workload of the administrative court and aiming to ensure the implementation of administrative proceedings within a reasonable period of time, it was deemed necessary to assign the authority to apply responsibility for the said administrative offense to the Police.

Referring to the legislative initiative, Nikol Pashinyan noted that the state symbol, regardless of where and by whom it is used, should receive proper treatment, and it should be an important part of our state thinking.

Today's Cabinet meeting addressed the liberalization of the market of the car insurance system and it was noted that from April 1, 2023, we are transitioning to the liberalized tariff system of the insurance system. "Liberalization is the next stage of the normal development of the system, because we believe that the bureau is already technically and in terms of its capabilities ready for the transition to a liberal system. For car owners, we will have the introduction of a fair price formation system commensurate with their risks, which we did not have before," the Chairman of the Central Bank said.

The Government made a decision to donate the real estate and the plot of land located in the address Hrazdan Canyon 4, Kentron Administrative District of Yerevan, owned by the Hrazdan Sports Complex, to the Yerevan community for the purpose of building a new gymnasium after Albert Azaryan.