"The mining sector is in crisis. If nothing is done by the government or the National Assembly, the crisis will deepen," said Vardan Jhanyan, President of "Union of Miners and Metallurgists of Armenia", First Deputy General Director of "Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine" CJSC, during the working session of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs of RA National Assembly held on June 20.
Vardan Jhanyan noted that the main reason for the crisis is dram exchange rate appreciation. Another reason is the significant decrease in investment. "There are so few cases left in the field that all of them can be counted on one palm. We have ZCMC, Litchkvaz mine, Kapan, Agarak, Akhtala, and the rest have either been closed or are being closed," Vardan Jhanyan noted. According to him, for the development of the sector, it is necessary to review the exchange rate of the Armenian dram or provide tax benefits to the mining sector, as is done, for example, for the information technology sector.
RA Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Hovhannes Harutyunyan responded to the miners, stating that there are already support programs.
According to Narek Teryan, RA Deputy Minister of Economy, miners are exaggerating the problems of the sector.
Babken Tunyan, Deputy Chair of RA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, noted that the goals of the RA government and the Central Bank are no different from the goals of miners. "The problem here is to find the right balance."
June 21, 2023 at 15:05