Hovik Abrahamyan's speech at the NA sitting on the debate of the issue “On approving the RA Government programme”

“Dear Colleagues,

Dear members of the Government,

The programme of the government activity of any country is one of the main political documents, around which the debates being held in the parliament, show not only the global problems, existing in the given country, the main directions of the development and expecting results, but also the level of warm heartedness and interest of the political forces on the development of the country and future. With this respect, the first thing to record was the debates containing concerned, sometimes extreme assessments and sounded interpellations in this hall. This means that the political forces represented in the National Assembly and the individual deputies are genuinely concerned about making Armenia more developed, more stable and more secure country a day before. And I thank all deputies for the active debates.

The activity of the Government, as it is noted at the very beginning of the programme, will be based not only on the RA National Security Strategy, the basic provisions of the pre-electoral programmes of the RA President, the Republic Party of Armenia and Rule of Law parties, but also the main programme ideas and approaches of all parliamentary parties, which are consonant with those documents, are realistic and can promote the harmonious development of our country. I very much highlight this approach, because as a result of it, a peculiar tribune of consolidation of all political forces represented in the National Assembly is established, despite the degree of representation of those political forces and political status in the independent parliament and despite certain issues or problems to be resolved.

This comes to witness the fact that the Armenian authorities are open for consolidation for jointly resolving the existing problems and the debate of all the constructive and substantiated recommendations.

I deem very important the five priorities and the main directions of their implementation, which are laid down in the basis of the 2013-2017 Government programme. I consider the adoption of those prior directions chosen at precise time, as well as choice of expedient and right targets of the solutions of the existing problems in the spheres of the social-economic development of the republic and the deepening of democracy in the country. In case of effectively working in these directions, I am sure that we’ll achieve the indices and outcomes, which are planned for upcoming 4 years.

Dear colleagues,

I would like to speak about the challenges and risks, which can emerge in future connected with the post-crisis well-known processes going on in the commercial partner countries and regions of Armenia. On the one hand the model of open economy, which is also applied in our republic, having a number of advantages, with respect to rapid integration to the world markets, involvement of the investments, wide opportunities of the investment of new technologies and other aspects, on the other hand, it can genuinely very rapidly feel the consequences of different phenomena going on in the external world, with that endangering the process of reaching the pre-indicated outcomes by the Government programme. Thus, the Government activity should have a necessary level of flexibility and in case of emerging of the mentioned risks, immediately provide adequate response for overcoming the new challenges. And we should be ready in quick and operative support to the RA Government in that aspect.

Regarding the sounded opinions and remarks on the debated programme, I think that we should stem from the reality that there is no such a political document on which, in case of desire, it is impossible to make numerous remarks and indicate shortcomings.

I agree that there are shortcomings, gaps. But I don’t agree with the opinions, evaluations that during these years nothing has been done.

Anyway, the elections are over, and I call on all political forces to reconciliation, solidarity and joint work. Moreover, I am sure that we share the same opinion over the certain most important issues: strengthening of the Republic of Armenia, development of Nagorno Kharabakh and reinforcement of independence.

I unequivocally agree with the view of the President of the Republic Serzh Sargsyan that since 2008, today is the most favourable time to implement necessary reforms and programmes providing continuous economic growth, which will result in the considerable reduction of poverty level . I am sure that due to the joint work of all of us we can record these success.

Thank you.”