ArmInfo. In 2018, 774.4 million drams were sent to solve the priority tasks of the Shirak and Lori regions of Armenia, which were the most affected by the catastrophic earthquake of 1988. This was announced on December 7 at an extraordinary retreat of the government of the Republic of Armenia in the city of Gyumri by Acting Minister of Territorial Administration and Development of the Republic of Armenia Suren Papikyan.
According to him, of this amount, Shirak region received 354.9 million drams, and Lori region - 419.5 million drams. The funds were directed to the implementation of 54 programs in 45 communities in two regions. Under the same program, 42.9 million drams were additionally allocated to the communities of Shirak and Lori regions, of which Shirak region received 31.8 million drams and Lori - 11.2 million drams. This year, 33 subvention programs for a total amount of 1.6 billion drams were approved for the two regions. As a result of competitions for 27 programs, the cost of these programs amounted to 903.8 million drams, of which the amount of state funding was equal to 381.3 million drams.
The Acting Minister also informed that the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technologies of the Republic of Armenia provided 222.7 million drams for repairing 4 roads in Shirak and Lori regions. Work on the modernization of roads will continue in 2019. At the expense of the Territory Development Fund in the Shirak and Lori regions, 7 programs are being implemented, of which 2 will be completed next year. The total cost of this project is 1.9 billion drams, of which 1.2 billion drams will be sent to the Shirak region, and 732 million drams to the Lori region.
Suren Papikyan also reported that a grant in the amount of 1.082 billion drams was provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to restore the roads of the city of Gyumri. With the assistance of USAID, the communities of Amasia, Arpi, Sarapat and Ashotsk of the Shirak region allocated 1.486 billion drams for which road-building and agricultural equipment was purchased. As a result of cooperation with the EU, pilot projects are being implemented in both areas. In particular, 750 thousand euros were allocated for the creation of the Microsoft Innovation Center in the Shirak region, 549.8 thousand euros for the implementation of the Man in Need program in the Amasia community. Projects in the field of renewable and alternative energy are also being implemented. Thus, a 1 MW solar power station was built and commissioned.