ArmInfo. Until 2024, Armenia will have qualitatively new railways, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on August 18 during a government meeting, presenting the government's program for the next 5 years.
"We have reached a very important agreement with the concessionaire of the Armenian railway - SCR. According to this agreement, until 2024, about 39 billion drams should be invested in the sector of Armenian railways," Pashinyan said.
Touching upon the reforms in the field of air transport, the Prime Minister noted that significant changes are taking place here as well. "Thus, two local airlines are being opened, including with the help of foreign investments, which indicates an improvement in the dynamics of investments in the field of air transport. Our main task should be to consistently work to increase the country's investment attractiveness and their productivity," he said.
As for road construction, according to the Prime Minister, the government over the next few years will not only maintain the set "bar" for the construction / repair of roads in 500 km of roads per year, but also raise it. At the same time, within the framework of the investment project of the North-South transport corridor, the construction of a 60-km section of Sisian-Kajaran will begin in the near future. The construction of the Talin-Landjik, Landjik-Gyumri section is underway. The government is also focusing on the construction of the Ashtarak-Talin section.
As the prime minister noted, all these programs require colossal financial injections and everyone understands that they will have to look for sources of funding. In this context, he recalled the funds promised by the EU in the amount of 2.6 billion euros over the next 4 years. According to him, the RA authorities have already decided on the programs that can apply for this funding.
It should be reminded that the South Caucasian Railway CJSC is a 100% subsidiary of the Russian Railways OJSC and carries out concession management of the Armenian railways. The railway infrastructure of Armenia was transferred to the concession management of the SCR CJSC in accordance with the Concession Agreement signed on February 13, 2008. The term of the concession management is 30 years with the right to extend it for another 10 years.