ArmInfo. The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide Armenia with a grant of 4 million 250 thousand euros to improve road safety, in particular on the M-6 road section and in the south. On November 7, the Armenian government approved the proposal to sign the corresponding grant agreement.
According to the Deputy Minister of Territorial Development and Infrastructures Vache Terteryan, presenting the draft decision, the purpose of the agreement is to ensure road safety, landscaping roads in parallel with large-scale road works - in accordance with modern safety standards.
According to him, the government aims to reduce road accidents and reduce the proportion of severe cases as a result of accidents. To do this, as the deputy minister pointed out, the most dangerous sections of the road should be identified first, relevant projects prepared, it is also possible that the responsible structures will resort to work to prevent rockfalls.
So, according to the draft decision, the funds will be used to improve road safety on the M-2 (Yerevan- Meghri), M-4 (Yerevan-Ijevan), M-5 (Yerevan-Armavir-Turkish border), M-12 (Goris -Artsakh), M-17 (Kapan-Tsav-M-2), H-8 (Yerevan-Artashat-Aydevan). Perhaps other sections will also be included in the program where similar tasks will be identified.
Earlier, in June this year ArmInfo reported that technical assistance to the EU to improve Armenia's road safety program began in Yerevan. According to the Organization for the Implementation of Transport Programs SNCO, the European Investment Bank (EIB) allocated a grant of 5.15 million euros to Armenia, of which 0.65 million euros for technical assistance (consulting services), 4.25 million euros for for construction work and 0.25 million euros for other organizational expenses. According to Alexander Bakhtamyan, coordinator of technical assistance programs for the European Investment Bank in Armenia and Georgia, within the framework of the program aimed at improving road safety, a consortium involving CESTRA (Serbia), COWI (Denmark) companies will provide technical support services to the program SWEROAD (Sweden).
As part of the technical support, it is planned to review existing projects to improve hazardous areas selected on roads, develop new projects, carry out technical control of construction work to improve hazardous areas, identify other hazardous areas, organize courses on road safety, prepare and certify road safety auditors to carry out other activities. In addition, the current road design standards in Armenia will be reviewed and modernized in order to bring them into line with the European Union and international experience in terms of road safety. The grant is planned to be completed within 1.5 years - at the end of 2020.
Recall that the European Investment Bank is a state financial institution of the European Union to finance the development of backward European regions in the form of long-term loans. It was created in 1958 with the aim of providing loans for the construction and reconstruction of facilities that are of interest to the EU countries. The authorized capital is formed from contributions of member countries and amounts to 232.393 billion euros. The European Investment Bank accounts for 3.5% of the external debt of Armenia, which is about $ 904 million. The Bank participates in the solid waste recycling program in Armenia, in technical assistance to improve road safety and other infrastructure projects.