Yerevan/Mediamax/. Today Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has summed up his first 100 days in the office at the rally at Republic Square in Yerevan.

We have selected the most noteworthy parts from his speech.

The stage of economic achievements

The first post-revolution month – June – saw the economic activity index at 9.6%, while the index for 2018 overall made 8.9%. Therefore, there are grounds to claim that the economic activity indicators will continue to climb higher.

The most important achievement since I took office is that more people arrive in Armenia than leave the country. We can consider is the first and most significant step towards preventing emigration.

Between May 10 and August 14, the number of arrivals exceeded the number of departures by 29 986. If we make a comparison with the data for the same period in 2017, the number of people leaving Armenia exceeded the number of arrivals by 6000.

Photo: Photolure

Moreover, 34 000 more tourists have visited Armenia over the last three months than in the same period last year. That means that the interest of foreign investors and travelers towards Armenia is growing.

The real estate prices in Yerevan and many other cities of Armenia have risen by around 20%. As you can see, our compatriots arrive not only for sightseeing, but to purchase real estate.

I state officially that the amount of funds coming into Armenia exceeded the index of capital outflow by 116 billion, while the deposits in Armenia banks have seen an increase of AMD 116 billion (around USD 250 000).

The loan portfolio of Armenian banks has grown by AMD 99 billion over the last three months.

As of August 1, Armenia exported the same volume of fruit and vegetables as in the entire 2017.

With comparison of the same periods, tax agencies collected AMD 28.8 billion more, while overpayment dropped by AMD 26bn.

In general, all these numbers mean that Armenia has entered the stage of economic achievements.

Equal economic opportunities

We want to change the current model of economy and we are certain there will be significant achievements.

Photo: Photolure

All Armenian citizens will have equal opportunities for economic activities.

We have abolished all economic monopolies, so everyone can do business freely. The government will do everything so that people can use this opportunity.

The people will settle the Karabakh conflict

I have not negotiated anything yet in Karabakh conflict settlement. Artsakh will speak on its own behalf and I will speak on behalf of Armenia.

We do not want a war. We are ready to conduct real peace talks. But whoever tries to cast a doubt on me in terms of negotiating does not understand that it is not the government, but the people that will settle the Karabakh conflict.

If the peace talks give an option for settlement that we can discuss, we will discuss it together in detail and you will decide if we should take it.

Armenia-Russia ties are strengthening

I find it funny that some people claim Armenian-Russian relations are not good at the moment. I had two meetings and three phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and I can state that the ties between our countries are strengthening.

Photo: Photolure

As we promised, there are no drastic turns in Armenia’s foreign policy and we are expanding ties with Russia.

Soon we will announce a joint humanitarian initiative. It will be an unprecedented collaboration and a proof that we are taking relations with Russia to a new level.

Constitutional amendments

Armenia is to hold snap parliamentary elections until May 2019. Current laws indicate that Prime Minister has to resign and the parliament has to fail twice to elect a new one for snap elections to be held.

Some political powers might consider letting me resign and secretly deciding to elect someone else Prime Minister. They are failing to understand the situation in Armenia, so we will suggest amendments to the Constitution that will make it possible to hold snap elections not only when Prime Minister resigns, but also if the parliament decides to dissolve.