YEREVAN, JUNE 3, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan held a consultation in a remote way in the government over the current situation in the civil aviation sector and its development prospects, the PM’s Office told Armenpress.

Chairwoman of the Civil Aviation Committee Tatevik Revazyan participated in the discussion.

Revazyan presented clarifications to the PM over the ongoing processes in the field. She reported that on May 12, 2020, the session of the European flight safety team tool place as a result of which a decision was made to include all airlines certified in Armenia to the EU Air Safety List. According to the European Commission and the EU Air Safety Committee, the reason for such decision is the implementation of improper control and incomplete certification functions by Armenia’s Civil Aviation Committee for many years. The decision restricts airlines certified in Armenia to operate flights to Europe, except for the flights relating to evacuation of citizens, for humanitarian and medical purposes. These airlines, however, will continue operating flights to other countries. At the same time the decision will not affect the operation of flights by international airlines en routes EU-Armenia and vice versa. Revazyan stated that since the session of the team Armenia’s Civil Aviation Committee is taking actions to raise the air safety level, and the change of the decision can only be discussed in November 2020. In this context the EU aviation authorities welcomed the Armenian government’s commitment and expressed readiness for cooperation.

PM Pashinyan tasked the Civil Aviation Committee to develop a roadmap for further steps before November 2020, as well as a timetable for its implementation. He said actions must be taken not only to raise the air safety level, but also the competitiveness of the local aviation which will enable to develop the civil aviation in Armenia.

During the consultation a number of issues relating to the reforms of the Civil Aviation Committee were also discussed.  

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan