Yerevan, April 15, Noyan Tapan. Social problems will be of primary importance for the Government of Armenia. Irrespectively of the development scenario of Armenia’s economy, social spending of the state budget will be protected. This was announced by the prime minister of the country Tigran Sargsian in his opening speech at the “Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on Armenia” conference on April 14. According to him, anti-crisis measures of the Government of Armenia include prevention of job destruction. Measures are also aimed to address properly social allowances, as well as public and social works to the most vulnerable part of the society and to ensure the access of the neediest people to health and education services. As T.Sargsian mentioned, the mining industry of Armenia has 6 000 employees. Consultations with directors of mining enterprises revealed that businessmen could use revenues and profits obtained before the crisis in the conditions of high prices for metals on world markets to avoid job destruction until the summer of 2009. The first enterprise supported by the government in the fringes of Anti-crisis measures was Kajaran-based Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Plant, which will direct the resources to obtaining new equipment. This will enable the factory to increase the productivity and ensure with work places more than 200 satellite enterprises. According to the prime-minister, the reduction of un-official private transfers to Armenia affected the social situation of the country. He attached importance to monitoring supported by the World Bank, which would help to raise the efficiency of the system of social benefits. According to T.Sargsian, 700 million AMD (about 1.87 million) will be directed to implementation of public and social works in 2009. To ensure the efficiency of those works the municipality heads are obliged to submit proper projects.. Those works will include garbage disposal, told the prime-minister. As the prime minister informed, the issue of enabling needy students to get unpaid education is currently on agenda of the ministerial committee. According to UN Permanent Representative to Armenia Consuelo Vidal, Armenian offices of UN will support to the government to find solutions, helping to unite the efforts of all stakeholders: international organizations, private sector and civil society. Moreover, UN Armenia's office currently modifies its projects to match them with the needs of people suffered from the crisis most of all.

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