YEREVAN, AUGUST 17, ARMENPRESS. In the last 3 months the funds brought to Armenia was by 116 billion AMD more than taken out of Armenia during the days of the velvet revolution, PM Pashinyan announced during the rally summing up the first 100 days of his tenure at the Republican Square.

“During the days of the revolution many people talked about the fact that hundreds of millions of dollars were taken out of the country and that is the reality. But today I announce officially that the sums brought to Armenia is by 116 billion AMD more against the sums taken out”, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan as saying.

He added that the loan portfolio of Armenian banks has increased by nearly 100 billion AMD during the last 3 months. “This means that the Armenian citizens have taken more loans and invested in businesses. By August 1, 2018 Armenia had exported as much fruits and vegetables as it did during the entire year in 2017”, the PM said, adding that Armenia’s tax bodies collected by 28.8 billion AMD more in the last 3 months against the same period of the last year, while overpayments have been reduced.

According to Pashinyan, these numbers prove one thing. Following the political victory, the revolution in Armenia the era of economic victories is approaching. “I assure that we will really record serious economic achievements. We are not fine with this model of economic growth and we want it tochange, since we understand that we continue to remain in the old model, when the citizens do not feel the economic growth.  This is exactly what we plan to change in Armenia. We will replace the current model with an inclusive economic model. This means that all the citizens of Armenia will have equal opportunities to do business. In autumn 2017, when I was still an opposition figure, I announced that 40 minutes are necessary to eliminate the monopolies of sugar and banana. After becoming the Prime Minister it took me 40 minutes to eliminate the monopolies of sugar and banana. Today there is only one monopoly, the monopoly of power, the owner of which are the citizens of the Republic of Armenia”, the PM underlined.

According to him, the Government will boost economy in the same model applied during the velvet, non violent revolution. “Why for many years no revolution was carried out in Armenia? Because we all thought that opposition leaders are responsible for that. But our revolution happened when all of you realized that not only leaders, but each of us is responsible for carrying out a revolution, and it happened. We have eliminated economic monopolies in the Republic of Armenia and each of you is free to work, make investments, make his Motherland prosperous, and implement en economic revolution in Armenia in the model of the political one. The Government will spare no efforts in order you not only have the opportunity to do that, but also are able to apply in practice. Economic revolution is coming to follow the political revolution, where you have to win again”, the PM emphasized.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan