Ashot Tavadyan wishes Ishkhan Zakaryan success in his work.
The Control Chamber was established in 1996, and surprisingly, the name of one of the leaders of the structure, Ashot Tavadyan, is missing in the CC official website. This was said by Ashot Tavadyan in a conversation with “Aravot”, adding that he is not aware of the reasons of “missing”. “Aravot” referred a few questions to Ashot Tavadyan regarding the CC’s activities on recent high-profile events.
– Recently, pretty heated discussions were going on about the activities of Control Chamber, a great noise was raised. Have you followed them? What is your impression?
– In the matters where I can be subjective, I do not give a comment.
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– The political events around CC were quite interesting, when Ishkhan Zakaryan, after the famous statement of wasting seven million from the budget, the latter was invited to the President for consultation. After being reproached at the President’s office, he began to soften his previous statements in a different tone and vocabulary. This was followed by estimates of political forces. How do you interpret these things?
– I can say one thing: all people allow arbitrary mistakes in their works. But, I wish him every success in his work.
– If we analyze from the professional point of view, the topic of “kickbacks” was quite interesting…
– I said that there is a factor of impartiality, and in this regard, I can be subjective. I’m trying to come up with comments and introduce questions about such issues where I can be objective, and I should have made analysis. I do not make analysis of my own in this regard.
– Recently, “Integration and Development” NGO released results of a survey poll, according to which, 86 percent of respondents are positive about the decision of the authorities of Armenia on accession to the Customs Union. You have also participated in these activities. Gevorg Poghosyan, President of “Armenian Sociological Association”, stated that the survey does not inspire special confidence.
– In fact, I have just returned from Moscow, where I presented these results, and if I show any vector, it does not mean that I a priori support the vector, but it was showed by calculations, facts, economic-mathematical analysis. The results passed an examination by the best economist-mathematicians at the Eurasian bank. Soon, they will be published in Russian and English languages, please, our colleagues can be assess them, and give objective assessments. Nothing a priori has been done. I understand my professional credo and will never allow non-objective things.
I consider Gevorg Poghosyan a very strong specialist, one of the best sociologists in CIS territory, I think he will also read the materials and express his objective viewpoint.
The vector indicates the direction as to what direction we can develop. The matter, especially, refers to coordinating directions, such as energy, transport, strategic enterprises “Nairit”, employment, GDP and other aspects. Let’s say, it is compared as to what EU and CU can provide to these aspects, and the effects were evaluated. We had presented right these assessments. And, as for the fact that there are some problems with democracy or corruption, these issues are not resolved with economic integration. They are mainly domestic-oriented, and we need to find solutions to these issues. Generally, we must understand that many questions can not be solved by any external force, we have to solve them ourselves. And, Armenia will present more enhanced, of course, greater interest to the EU and our neighbors. We must be strong to be able to put your problems forward. This path (meaning CU integration – N.G.) is correct in strategic and tactical sense. Later, of course, after becoming strong, I think we will be more interesting for the West and the North.
– Predictions are made about the budget enhancements with regard to Armenia’s accession to CU, by about two per cent growth, and about drastic and visible economic activeness. To what extent are they feasible?
– Prediction is the number, the highest probability, the performance of which depends on the factors that are taken into account. They, first and foremost, are concerned with the highest level of announced investments in energy and transport sectors. Armenia shall be exempted from import duty, namely, 30 per cent on gas, 6.5 percent on imports of rough diamonds, 5 per cent on nuclear fuel, and so on. These are figures, the effects of which we took into account. All our calculations are based on net figures, the facts. The facts, which are represented at the highest level, which are shown in CU documents, and the data, which are published by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund.
– Can you clearly identify the results that will be available for Armenians in visible future, as a result of Armenia’s accession to CU?
– It is also a matter that is internal and refers to our government. For example, such a question, gas price down; is it associated with the 150 million dollars that we need to subsidize from the budget, is 150 million dollars associated with the issues that we will have forty percent wage increase in July? These connections must be made clear to the public, and the effects, which are obtained, are the internal affair of the government. How is the budget drawn, where will be the expenditures spent? Of course, it needs to be clear and presented precisely. Every person should feel these changes in the macro level; it is already an internal problem, it is the government’s problem, and I hope that our government will overcome these problems.
– The government is discussing the draft budget for 2014. Are your mentioned issues clear and visible in the document?
– I’ve been in Moscow and I’m not familiar with this document, I have not followed the discussions.
Interviewed by Nelly Grigoryan
