ArmInfo. At a meeting on March 12, the Armenian government recognized the agreement with the World Bank on the second, additional financing of the program for the  restoration of vital roads as urgent for ratification. The document  in accordance with established procedure will be sent to the  country's parliament.

ArmInfo. In Armenia, a security system has not yet been formed that would be able to quickly and clearly respond to unforeseen shock events that could negatively  affect the socio-economic situation in the country.

ArmInfo. Belarus hopes to increase trade turnover with Armenia in 2020. Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus Vitaly Drozhzha reported this to journalists  on March 12.

ArmInfo. The new series of Armenian banknotes won the accolade for the Best New Series at the High Security Printing EMEA-2020 contest, the press service of the  Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia reports.

ArmInfo. In Armenia, the situation with coronavirus will have economic consequences. Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Khachatryan stated this  to journalists on March 12. To recall, in Armenia cases of infection  of 4 persons with a new type of coronavirus were officially  confirmed, a total of 57 people were isolated.

ArmInfo.Ardshinbank’s 2118 borrowers of home equity loans received 5% cashback from the interests they paid for their loans during the previous calendar year. This time, the total amount of money returned by the Bank to borrowers amounted to about 62 million drams.

ArmInfo. Reducing demand in the service sector due to falling oil prices will be less noticeable than in the construction sector and the real estate market in Russia,  where labor migrants from Armenia are involved. This opinion was  announced on March 12 through the Moscow- Yerevan-Bishkek-Tbilisi- Minsk video conversation by Alexey N. Zubets, Head of the Department of Sociology and Political Science, Financial  University under the Government of the Russian Federation (Moscow,  Russia).

ArmInfo.  Due to the devaluation of the ruble, inflation in Russia can reach 7%, and in  the post-Soviet countries it may be higher than in Russia. On March  12, through   a Moscow-Yerevan-Bishkek-Tbilisi-Minsk video  conversation, answering a question from ArmInfo correspondent, Alexey  N. Zubets, Head of the Department of Sociology and Political Science,  Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation  (Moscow, Russia), said.

ArmInfo.The program "Armenian virtual bridge" will begin to be implemented in Armenia. At the March 12 meeting, the RA Government approved this program.  According to  the Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia Hakob  Arshakyan, the purpose of the presented document is the intention to  connect Armenia with other technological centers, using its  scientific thought, opportunities, as well as the potential of the  diaspora.

ArmInfo. In the difficult  conditions of reduction of credit margin amid lack of client base,  the restoration by the local national system Armenian Card of its  market positions can be considered a significant event in the banking  market last year. This is stated in the regular 20th anniversary  analytical bulletin "Armenian Banks in the Card Business", prepared  by the Rating and Marketing Information Agency (ArmInfo IC). The  bulletin is published twice a year.

ArmInfo. In Armenia, precious metals began to lose price faster, accelerating the decline in prices in the weekly context from 0.1% to 4.7%. Moreover, a downtrend is  observed for all precious metals.

ArmInfo.Users of the Sberbank Online mobile application have the opportunity to make money transfers by phone number to the clients of the digital bank of Armenia - Evocabank. This was reported by the press service of the Russian Sberbank.

ArmInfo. The issue of cooperation with the largest Armenian freight forwarding "Spayka"  company is still on the agenda of the Eurasian Development Bank  (EDB).  Head of the EDB Andrey Belyaninov stated this through a   video conference -"Regional integration, cooperation of the Eurasian  Development Bank with the EAEU countries" (Moscow-Yerevan-Minsk-  Chisinau).  <Due to the emergence of additional risks, we postponed this project  somewhat, and so far we are not considering it closely, although it  is a good project. It is necessary to re-evaluate it, taking into  account the circumstances that are emerging in the conditions of the financial crisis>, he said.

ArmInfo. Despite the difficulties of the financial order, 2020 will be quite fruitful in  terms of cooperation with Armenia. On March 11  through a  video  conference "Regional Integration, Cooperation of the Eurasian  Development Bank with the EAEU Countries" (Moscow-Yerevan-Minsk- Chisinau), answering a question from ArmInfo correspondent,  head of the EDB Andrey Belyaninov said.

ArmInfo.

ArmInfo.Strategic transaction for the sale of package of shares of International Energy Corporation CJSC (IEC CJSC, Republic of Armenia) owned by RusHydro Group to the  Hrazdan Energy Company, a member of the Tashir Group, has been  completed.

ArmInfo.In the Kotayk region, 51 subvention programs are implemented in the amount of 2 billion AMD. More than 1 billion 48 million will be allocated from the community  budget.

ArmInfo. The World Bank has approved various financial support tools in the fight against  coronavirus, which may be available to Armenia as the need arises.   The Regional Director of the World Bank for the South Caucasus,  Sebastian Molineus announced this on March 10 during a meeting with  Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan.

ArmInfo. Small and medium businesses in Armenia do not have a clear idea of the direction the state is heading. Head of Ameria Management Advisory Tigran Jrbashyan  expressed this opinion on March 10 during panel discussions as part  of an event attached to the study on the SME market carried out by  Ameria CJSC. 

ArmInfo.  The most serious cause for concern in the field of small and medium-sized businesses is the lack of readiness of the latter for long-term investments.  Head of Ameria Management Advisory Tigran Jrbashyan told reporters on  March 10, referring to a study of the SME market of Armenia, prepared  for the second time by Ameria CJSC (the first study dates back to  2013 -ed.note).