YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. According to the World Bank predictions, Armenia’s economic activity rate in 2016 will remain the same compared to 2015, Senior Economist and Co-Task Team Leader of the World Bank Gohar Gyulumyan said, adding that the economic figures of 2016 are not so promising, reports “Armenpress”.  

“The last several months, starting from July, are disappointing since after the 4.5% growth in the first quarter, Armenia’s economy entered a period of decline. From July to October, each month the economic activity rate of Armenia is decreasing compared to the previous month. There are official data according to which during the third quarter, Armenia’s economic decline was 2.8% compared to the same period of 2015. From this perspective we as well revise our predictions. In October our expectations for the 2016 economic growth were positive, 2.4%, but at this moment, having the data for January-October, we can say that the 2016 activity rate will comprise 0.4%”, she stated.

The economist said taking into account this, the expectations for 2017 are not more than 2%. The average period figures are correspondingly modest, in the frames of 2-2.5%.

“In case of Armenia this cannot be so promising. Recently the 2015 poverty rate was published, we saw that it remained almost the same, and in order to reach a serious decrease in poverty, solution to social issues, the annual growth rate must be 5% and more”, she said.