ArmInfo. Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia Ashot Manukyan received a delegation of the international rating organization Moody's, headed by Matthew Srkostai, an analyst of the Investment Service of the company in Singapore.
According to the press service of the Ministry, while welcoming the guests, Ashot Manukyan presented the work carried out by the department in the subsoil, energy and water sector. Implemented projects, according to the head of the department, can positively affect the formation of Armenia's sovereign rating. Speaking about the mining industry, it was noted that Yerevan submitted an application for joining the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. "I am confident that this will have a positive impact on the sovereign rating of the republic," Ashot Manukyan said, adding that parallel work is being done to digitize the entire information base of the mining industry. Work in this direction will be completed either by the end of this year or in early 2018, after which all information will be available to all. In addition, amendments are being prepared to the Subsoil Code, according to which the right to develop deposits will be provided exclusively through open and transparent tenders.
Presenting the situation in the energy sector, Ashot Manukyan reported on the forthcoming liberalization of the electricity market of the republic. He noted that the system of water management of the country awaits liberalization.
Answering a question of the delegation members about the seismic stability of the country's power plants, in particular, the Armenian nuclear power plant, the minister stressed that the station in this regard is at the forefront in the world.
During the meeting, the issue of providing ratings to Armenian companies engaged in energy and mining sectors was also discussed.