ArmInfo.Armenia needs to decide on unimplemented programs, which are financed by EU grant funds. This July 20 at a meeting with journalists, Deputy Director of the Directorate-General for Neighborhood Policy and the talks on the expansion of the European Commission Katarina Mathernova said.
According to her, Armenia has not yet used the 110 million euro grant previously allocated by the European Union, under which there are signed agreements. At the same time, initially planned to send 50 million euros for the implementation of the political component, and the remaining 60 million euros - to address economic issues. This money is still frozen, and they are waiting for their fate. Implemented or have already implemented programs worth 240 million euros, funded by the EU grant funds. In total, as the European official noted, the EU provided Armenia with financial assistance worth 1 billion euros. This should also include various projects implemented in Armenia by European financial institutions - the bank KfW, the EBRD, the European Investment Bank, etc. Assistance was mainly directed to the implementation of projects in energy, small and medium business, financial sector. At present, a four-year program for 2017-2020 worth 160 million euros is ready, which also awaits its hour. Projects are also being implemented within the framework of the Eastern Partnership program. "Despite the fact that the EU is a complex bureaucratic structure, nevertheless, we are ready to consider promptly the proposals and initiatives of the Armenian government, proceeding from the principle" more for more. However, to begin with, it is necessary to evaluate and analyze previously implemented programs, as well as projects that are still frozen," Katarina Mathernova said, adding at the same time that the EU" does not give money for a velvet revolution. "In order to assess the EU representative met with Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, ministers and deputy ministers. In particular, during negotiations with the deputy prime minister, the possibility of appointing a high-ranking political adviser to the European Union It is also important to draw up an investment plan that should reflect the directions of reforms, including the fight against corruption, and a new program on developing energy efficiency is being prepared. "In short, if necessary, we will increase the amount of financing, but first we need to complete the programs that have already been started and not started, "said Katarina Mathernova.
The head of the EU delegation to Armenia Piotr Switalski noted that so far 110 million euros are in the "refrigerator" of the European Union. Agreements on them are concluded, but the work is not being conducted. Regarding the facilitation of the visa regime, the diplomat noted that this issue will be resolved "at the appropriate time." Recall that on July 20 at a meeting with journalists, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that prior to his visit to Brussels, the European Union stated its readiness to assist Armenia. The head of government stressed that in the course of his well-known statement, he expressed bewilderment that the formula proposed by the EU in fact does not work. "And I am amazed that a number of European officials, during meetings with me, say that they expect changes in Armenia both today and today, and I am surprised that there are still officials in the EU who do not notice the changes that have In order to make everything clear, I gave specific examples, in particular, I informed that today's government, in two months or even a month, without spending a penny, has done more in the area of fighting corruption, than was done in the interaction with the EU by the former government, spending on