YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. By the results of an annual research conducted by the Heritage Foundation and "The Wall Street Journal", Armenia is in 31st place among 179 countries by the level of economic freedoms. As Radio Liberty reported, there were no significant changes in Armenia's indices as compared with last year. The research authors evaluate all the states on a scale from 0 to 100, taking into account 10 indices, such as investment freedom, business freedom, freedom from corruption. This year Armenia received 69 points out of the 100 possible as compared with 70 points in 2008. Thus our country is in the group of states with a moderately free economy, occupying the highest place among CIS countrties. Georgia is 32nd, Azerbaijan is 99th, while Russia is 146th by the level of economic freedoms. As regards concrete indices, based on official statistical data and the provisions in the legislative acts on national economy, the U.S. analysts have assessed Armenia's business environment quite highly. Armenia has high indices on investment making and free movement of labor force. At the same time, according to U.S. experts, the weaknesses of the country are related to inviolability of the right of private property and corruption, with the respective points making 35 and 30. Armenia, along with Georgia and Lithuania, was pointed out as one of the countries with most impressive economic indices. The report says that in the past 13 years these three countries have supassed more than half of the world's states by their economic indices. According to the report's authors, in 1996-2008, the average growth of GDP per capita made 8% in Armenia, Georgia and Lithuania.

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