ArmInfo.During an extraordinary meeting on March 30, the Government of the Republic of Armenia unanimously adopted the 8th package of anti-crisis measures to support employees and individual entrepreneurs of the most vulnerable areas of economic activity in the context of the coronavirus epidemic.
As the assistant to the Prime Minister of Armenia Nairi Sargsyan explained, this package of assistance applies to employees and IEs operating in the field of catering, hotel facilities, and also includes travel agencies, hairdressers, beauty salons, retail trade, specifically clothing, footwear, and household appliances stores etc. The number of beneficiaries, according to him, according to preliminary estimates reaches 127 thousand citizens, and the program budget exceeds 10 billion drams.
The amount of one-time assistance will be commensurate with 50% of the average wage calculated for January-February, which will be no less than 68 thousand drams (minimum wage) and no more than 136 thousand drams (two minimum wages).
Regarding individual entrepreneurs of the above areas, the size of the lump sum will be 10% of the sales turnover for the IV quarter of 2019, but not exceeding the amount commensurate with the salary of two minimum wages.
The funds provided, according to Sargsyan, are not taxed, and will be credited to the account of the employee, without the intermediary of the employer. It was noted that potential beneficiaries of the 8th assistance package should fill out an application on the website http://online.ssa.am/ from April 9. Based on the data provided, the system will automatically determine whether the individual is the beneficiary of the program. If confirmed, the funds will be credited to the employee's bank account within 1-2 days.
Summing up the meeting, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan reminded that the government provides for 25 billion drams for economic assistance, 25 billion drams for social assistance, 80 billion drams for the reorganization of economic programs, and 20 billion drams are reserve funds for possible further distributions.
To recall, the Government of Armenia has developed and approved 8 packages of anti-crisis measures aimed at supporting businesses and the socially vulnerable population in the context of the spread of coronavirus, which, if necessary, will be expanded or changed depending on their effectiveness.
