3 MEMBERS OF MCF-ARMENIA BOARD OF BENEFICIARIES EXPRESS
CONCERN ABOUT POSSIBLE SUSPENSION OF PROGRAM
30-04-2008 22:00:00 | Armenia | Economy
YEREVAN, APRIL 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Levon Barseghian, Seyran
Martirosian and Artur Sakunts - members of the Board of
Beneficiaries of the Millenium Challenge Fund - Armenia
(MCF-Armenia) Program - expressed concern about the possible
suspension of the program. According to their statement
submitted to NT, as early as at the end of 2007, the 17 indices,
by which the Millennium Challenge Corporation is guided when
financing Armenia and other countries, were already worrying: 9
out of 17 indices were at risky levels. In particular, the
violations during the last presidential election in Armenia, the
postelection events, the mass violations of human rights, the
restrictions on the freedom of press and expression have
considetrably reduced a number of indices, which poses a serious
threat from the viewpoint of the program's suspension or
termination.
In the opinion of the above mentioned members of the Board
of Beneficiaries, the Armenian authorities must take the
respective steps in order to rectify the situation, otherwise
the country may leave the path of democracy and lose the support
of the international community.
To recap, MCF-Armenia Program shall receive 235.65 mln USD
from the Corporation within 5 years for development of nearly
three-fourths of the country's rural settlements.