The sale of Nairit is profitable for the state since it has stick in its craw. How to swallow if you can’t swallow, then you need to solve it by another mechanism,” said economist Gagik Makaryan in ArmNews club, in response to the question of Aravot.am of how he will assess the sale of Nairit plant. “Why Russia is interested in Nairit, first, let’s leave aside that Russia has enough money, however, Nairit is socially important for Armenia’s economy as an organization solving the major issue of employment, it is a hackneyed topic, and has become noisy. Nairit still can provide competitive products in the world in terms of export, therefore, Russia taking Nairit like energy carriers is taking one more important area, we are giving one more area under Russian domination. They have a gas system here, electrical networks, railroads, now they will also have Nairit,” said Mr. Makaryan. The President of Union of Employers did not rule out that the Russian Rosneft on buying Nairit will employ exclusive opportunities for the plant, in other words, as Mr. Makaryan said, to make Nairit products competitive, they will use their Russian energy abilities. “As far as it is a gas supplier, a transporter, and ArmElnetwork – theirs, it is possibly that they will employ exclusive conditions for them, I do not exclude it. Do are not talking about it now, but the day will come.” With regard to about $ 500 million investment by Rosneft, Mr. Makaryan said that the amount is appropriate, and always, even in the Soviet years, they were talking about such huge numbers for restarting the plant. “It’s another matter on how this 500 million will be spent, and if our government has handed over the control, or privatization, it should always keep track when the other side is submitting a business plan, and follow with this business plan whether the investments are sufficiently executed or not. Or, whether these investments are sufficient to operate the plant, or one thing is written and later this number is not done, or this number is dissipated by kickbacks or other mechanism.”
Nelly BABAYAN
