Anna Chobanyan-one of most likely candidates for new Head of General  Department of Civil Aviation 

ArmInfo. Anna Chobanyan is one of the most likely candidates for the position of new head of General Department of Civil Aviation, ArmInfo's sources in the Department inform.

To recall, on June 8, 2018 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan  signed a decree on the resignation of the Head of the General  Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia, Sergey Avetisyan.  Ironically, exactly two years ago he was appointed to this post by  the decision of the then Prime Minister of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan.  Prior to that, Sergey Avetisyan held the post of Deputy Minister of  Economy of Armenia, where he supervised the aviation sector. Anna  Chobanyan also worked there as head of the Civil Aviation  Administration. After Avetisyan's appointment, she, after the chief,  moved to the Department receiving the post of the head of the air  traffic regulation department.

Meanwhile, since working in the Ministry, Avetisyan and Chobanyan  have been actively promoting the idea of an "open sky". Already in  the Department of Civil Aviation, responding tocriticism on policy of  non-action to local air carriers and "zero" restrictions for foreign  airlines, she stated that this is stipulated by the policy of the  so-called "open skies". " The 'open sky ' policy does not envisage  assistance from the state to any airline, whether local, Russian or  European,"  Chobanyan was declaring, adding a very dubious thesis  that allegedly "even in European countries assistance of this kind is  not provided, as they have liberal regime for all airlines. "

To recall, the national air carrier of Armenia - Armavia - suspended   its flights on 1 April 2013 and launched the bankruptcy procedure. In   2014 the same happened to Air Armenia. 

On October 23, 2013, the Armenian government approved the program  implying provision of  competitive and long- term air transportation  services in the country. The program is based on a joint study of  McKinsey & Company  and National Competitiveness Foundation of  Armenia. According to the  program Open Skies policy  would have  positive impact on  opening of  job places, growth of passenger  transportation and  reduction of  tariffs. Particularly, it was  anticipated that the Open  Skies policy  would reduce the prices of  flights to Armenia by 10% on  the average,  would lead to opening of  18.000-23.000 new jobs, growth  of passenger  turnover by 20- 25%.  According to the plan this would allow the  country to additionally  increase the GDP by 1.5% or  $0.3-0.4 bln AMD  per annum. Nothing of  that happened. Armenia being blocked by neighbors does not have its  national airline and considering the possible appointment it will not  have any in the nearest future.