RA Government to work hard in 2013

The first Cabinet sitting of 2013 was held on January 10, chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

“This is the first sitting of 2013, and I want to congratulate everyone on the occasion of the New Year and Christmas holidays. The year 2012 was a year of hard work for us, but we were able to achieve significant success. Judging by the priorities that you have presented to be discussed today, we will also be expected to work hard in 2013. It is important that we remain optimistic and look into the future with optimism, especially when we have created good reasons for that in 2012. The international ratings published in 2012, improvement of the business environment and the significant progress recorded in the IT sector are an evidence of that.

Today I want to present the results of the Index of Economic Freedom published by the Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal. We also made progress in this area and improved our ranking, which is also a reason for optimism that in 2013 we will be able to advance our reforms. This is one of the most important indices, which is the focus of the investors, and naturally, the name of this index will also have a significant role for us.”

RA Government has approved government’s activities program for 2013, priority objectives, justification for the 2013 activities program and priority objectives.

The Government approved the amounts for financial assets provided for the family allowance and lump sum assistance payment, according to local agencies providing social service, taking into consideration 2013 draft budget funds allocated for family allowance and lump sum assistance. Family insecurity border was set to 30.00, and the base of the family allowance to 16 thousand drams. The additives provided to families with 30.01-35.00, 35-01-39, 39.01 and higher insecurity borders were also approved. The lump-sum benefit for childbirth is 50 thousand drams, and the benefit for the third, as well as for the next children born in the family after that, is 430 thousand drams, childcare allowance for children up to the age of two is 18 thousand drams.

The benefit for a late Armenian national hero’s family amounted to 250 thousand drams, the benefit for the family of a late person with first rank Military Cross award to 150 thousand drams and for second rank Military Cross award to 100 thousand drams. This decision applies to the relations arisen since January 1, 2013.

More than 30 issues were discussed at the meeting.