Monday, January 21 2019 17:16

ArmInfo. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is on a working visit to Switzerland, discussed investment prospects in Armenia with a group of investors, the press  service of the Armenian government reported.In particular, Pashinyan  discussed with the chairman of the Switzerland-Armenia Chamber of  Commerce Mike Baronian issues relating to the possibilities of  expanding investment programs in the field of pharmaceuticals in  Armenia. 

Baronyan said that today the Yerevan company is engaged in the  processing of raw materials, and it is aimed at the production of  medicines and their further export. In the expansion of production in  the next 5 years, the company plans to invest more than one dozen  million dollars, new jobs with high wages will be created. Mike  Baronyan presented to the Prime Minister other investment programs  related to energy production and copper processing using the latest  technologies.Swiss entrepreneur Hans Schweicard presented the head of  the Armenian government a major investment program in the production  of solar energy. 

Pashinyan welcomed the initiative of the businessman and spoke about  the strategy of the Armenian government in the field of solar power  and its development prospects. The Prime Minister urged to discuss  the program with the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural  Resources of the Republic of Armenia for its more effective  implementation.Nikol Pashinyan also met with a delegation led by the  famous Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropist of Armenian origin  Vardan Sirmakes. During the meeting, prospects for the implementation  of investment programs in the fields of agriculture, food industry  and construction, banking, watchmaking and jewelry, as well as  vocational education were discussed. Pashinyan highlighted the  implementation of these programs in Armenia and expressed the  readiness of the RA government within the framework of the available  tools to assist their implementation. The head of the RA government  stressed that the Cabinet of Ministers will continue efforts to  improve the business environment and is interested in the  implementation of investment programs in the republic and the  creation of new jobs.

Nikol Pashinyan and Vardan Sirmakes also discussed issues related to  the implementation of the "Old Yerevan" program. He stressed the  importance of the principle of preserving historical and cultural  monuments, as well as ensuring maximum care for these buildings.It  should be noted that the project "Old Yerevan", which envisages the  restoration of the architectural appearance of the Armenian capital  of the late XIX - early XX centuries, was approved more than ten  years ago and should have been completed in 2011. The developer of  the project, the IMS company, pledged to restore 15 historic  buildings here, dismantled in other parts of the center of Yerevan.  Collect them in the square between the streets of Abovyan, Yeznik  Koghbatsi, Pavstos Buzand and Arami. In addition, they will restore  the old buildings in this area. The company IIM Sy is associated with  the Swiss millionaire of Armenian origin Vardan Sirmakes (Sirmakesh),  the owner of the company for the production of Franck Muller watches.  Active work in this direction started in 2015, the construction and  reconstruction of 21 buildings for five years were envisaged, but so  far there is not a single reconstructed building. Project author  Levon Vardanyan promised to complete the construction of three  buildings within a year. Earlier, Sirmnakesh said that he was  creating a new project - the Build Armenia Foundation, which was  joined by about a dozen other businessmen. The essence of the project  is the organization of repatriation to Armenia. At the initial stage,  Sirmakesh will invest about $ 100 million in the implementation of  the idea.