Business Relations Council Announcement

Business Relations Council Announcement․

The first meeting-discussion of the "Business Relations Council" of the "Third Force" civic initiative, formed by Artak Tovmasyan, took place and was attended by highly qualified businessmen and experts representing the field.
The issues of improving the business and investment environments in Armenia, legislative regulation and efforts aimed at replacing emigration with immigration were discussed at the meeting.
During the discussion, Artak Tovmasyan and the participants of the council paid special attention to the priority of developing and implementing an economic concept to address the socio-economic challenges in the country with the joint efforts of the business community in Armenia.
As a result of the meeting, a statement was adopted, according to which:
1. The “Business Relations Council” strongly condemns all attempts to divide society. The members of the Council call for the immediate restoration of the unity of the society, to promote and strengthen the atmosphere of tolerance and solidarity.
2. The process of state-building of the Republic of Armenia presupposes the provision of urgent joint follow-up actions, which include: stable domestic-foreign macroeconomic policy, balanced territorial development, significant reduction of social risks, poverty reduction, as well as state-support for the development of environment, agriculture, military industry, production industry, development of advanced technologies and alternative energy, and a number of other areas.
3. Contribute to the change of legislation in favor of the interests of the businessman, by providing state guarantees. To ensure the transparency of the investor-state partnership for the investment environment, to establish general and clear rules of the game for all investors.
4. Eliminate political pressure on investors by ensuring equal and transparent conditions for all. Provide a unified system of investment research and development by the state, ensuring the security of investments and investors. To meet the expectations of the society, to establish dialogue centers in Yerevan, in the regions, in the Diaspora, to develop a mechanism for the strategic development of Armenia-Diaspora common homeland relations.
5. In the context of unblocking regional infrastructure, give priority not to the operation of the Yerevan-Nakhichevan-Meghri-Baku railway contained in the January 11, 2021 trilateral document, but to the Nakhichevan-Yerevan-Ijan-Kazakh railway. This will minimize the economic dominance of neighboring countries over Armenia.
6. Neutralize risks in the context of unblocking regional infrastructure, given Turkey's economic strengths and long-term goals, which could drive local producers out of both the domestic market and regional economic systems. As a result of Turkey's expansionist policy, economic security risks may arise in Armenia.
7. There is a sharp rise in prices for local essential goods in the market. In this regard, it is necessary for the Government to provide justifications for such an increase in prices. Otherwise, questions may arise as to whether these processes are in any way interconnected with the unblocking processes approved by the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020. We call on the relevant authorities to provide clear explanations of the causes of inflation, as well as an article-by-article explanation of the state's containment toolkit.
8. We call on, before advancing the unblocking processes, first of all to assess the security risks and problems, to create mechanisms for the protection of local producers. Introduce a new toolkit for export promotion. To create favorable special conditions for entrepreneurs in the border areas between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Bring the infrastructure in line with international standards.
9. We emphasize once again that until clear clarifications are given on the assessment and management of the risks of unblocking of the regional infrastructure, it is necessary to stop the unblocking process, to resume the work only after the relevant calculations and justifications.
The "Business Relations Council" addresses these proposals to the RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the RA NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan, the RA Central Bank, the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the RA Ministry of Economy, the RA Ministry of Finance, the RA State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition, expecting a proper response.
The meetings-discussions of the "Business Relations Council" will be regular.