On June 25 Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia received Mr. Aristomene Varoudakis, World Bank (WB) Armenian Office Manager.

Cooperation issues of the World Bank and the National Assembly were debated during the meeting. Having noted that in 2000, when the World Bank Office Manager in Armenia was Mr. Owaise Saadat, and there were a great number of non-ratified agreements, the President of the National Assembly Mr. Tigran Torosyan reminded him that the problem was solved in a short period of time and good foundations for cooperation were laid, which had a successful continuation later. The National Assembly of the fourth convocation is also ready to deepen the cooperation, which has narrow frameworks from the first sight: the ratification of the agreements, in reality also including the debate of the economic development issues.

Mr. Aristomene Varoudakis, World Bank Armenian Office Manager, congratulated the President of the National Assembly for being elected in that post and for holding the country’s best parliamentary elections. He noted that the World Bank had now started to elaborate upon its strategy for assisting the country during the years 2009-2014, as the current programme will be completed in 2008. The WB also carried out voluminous works in the spheres of economic growth, poverty reduction, social security, creating jobs and education. There should be active discussions with the representatives of the National Assembly, government, and civil society for the development of the 2009-2014 programmes. The policy of the World Bank will be changed, as during the recent years Armenia provides sustainable economic growth and will have an opportunity of getting additional credits from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), but the opportunity of getting the privileged credits will reduce. As Mr. Varoudakis estimated, the task of the WB and government will be the spheres, where the privileged credits should be sent. Mr. Varoudakis highlighted the cooperation with the President of the National Assembly and with the standing committees of the National Assembly in elaborating the country's 2009-2014 strategy assistance programme.

Noting that in the result of the cooperation with the National Assembly the image of the WB during the years has undergone positive changes in the society as a structure supporting the economic development of Armenia, Mr. Tigran Torosyan  expressed readiness, highlighting the debates in the standing committees of the National Assembly before the final elaboration of the programme. The President of the National Assembly noted that the political changes have been increased by the constitutional reforms of 2005, and the political changes have been put in force by the election of the National Assembly of the fourth convocation, and the role of the National Assembly has increased in the political life. After the independence the steps undertaken by the state were directed to the establishment of the state system and the social issues have been left behind. Today, enshrined with the economic successes and political reforms an opportunity has been created for the solution of the social problems providing the increase of the people’s living standards. In this context, when Armenia has entered into a new stage of development, the increase of the volumes of the privileged credits can be taken into consideration.

Mr. Aristomene Varoudakis, World Bank Armenian Office Manager, highlighted the success of the second stage of the reforms, noting that steps are taken within the framework of the fourth credit given by the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper to improve the tax and customs red tape. The cooperation with the National Assembly was also highlighted in this sphere. An extensive support within the framework of Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper is envisaged to provide social assistance, which aims to increase the retirement pensions. Besides, the WB is working on editing the new Tax Code, which will enable to improve the tax collections. The WB also assists the Central Bank in order to create a sustainable base for the development of the capital market. Investment projects are functioning with the Ministry of Transport and Communication for the elaboration of the route project of Yerevan, as well as the improvement of the railway substructures. At the end of the year an elaboration of the new project of education is envisaged with the Ministry of Education and Science. And the reforms in the projects of health care and judicial legal systems the National Assembly has already approved, and in the nearest future Mr. Varoudakis is going to submit the results to the National Assembly.

Expressing satisfaction for the support of the World Bank to the economic development of the country, the President of the National Assembly noted that those spheres are naturally at the center of attention of the National Assembly, and the results of the studies of the World Bank are always interesting and useful. In general, a wide field of cooperation with the World Bank is outlined, and the joint debates will make the mechanisms of cooperation more concrete. Agreeing with the President of the National Assembly, Mr. Varoudakis highlighted the works with the standing committees of the National Assembly during the drafting stage of the programme in expectation of periodical meetings later.

Other issues were also touched upon during the meeting.