Chaired by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, a consultation was held in the Office of Government to discuss ways of simplifying the construction permit granting procedures and sector development prospects. The meeting was attended by developers’ representatives and government officials.
The Prime Minister noted that mindful of reinvigorating Armenia’s construction sector, the Government is prepared to hold regular meetings in the given format to discuss proposals and recommendations for dealing with the existing problems and promoting business projects.
The representatives of developers stressed the need for improving the applicable legislative framework and pricing regulations, simplifying tax administration, streamlining the cadastral procedures, etc.
The Premier instructed the government agencies concerned to discuss with the developers ways of addressing the problems raised during the meeting, sum up the findings and report back to the Head of State Committee for Urban Development within a week’s time. Karen Karapetyan underscored that the ongoing reforms are aimed at promoting the construction sector in Armenia. “We consider the proposals from the perspective of law-abiding taxpayers. We will reject any such proposal as may be effective in terms of bringing non-abiding taxpayers to the tax field, but may hurt our white-listed taxpayers,”Karen Karapetyan emphasized.
The Prime Minister called the developers’ attention to the possibilities for developing tourism and infrastructure in the provinces. “I think we shall have many new attractive niches in construction (besides urban development and housing construction) that will need filling up. I mean the construction of hotels and tourism infrastructure. We have quite an interesting situation in Jermuk and Tsaghkadzor. For example, the developers build hotels in Jermuk spending fantastic amounts which imply long-term returns, but they are reluctant to invest in infrastructure which can ensure quick returns within a couple of years. Pay attention to Vanadzor on Gyumri: the downtown public square and the adjacent streets in Gyumri should be refurbished by December 7. We actually have many businesses with great multiplier effect. Do not focus on housing construction alone.”