YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has the potential to compete with any country, including China by its textile production, “Armenpress” reports “Sasstex” representative told reporters on January 18. Particularly in Shirak, in the sidelines of Vartan Sirmakes’s investment project, “Sasstex” company tries to restore the once powerful textile industry.

Prior to putting into operation Gyumri’s garment factory, training workshops are already open in two communities of the province: Artik and Amasia. Here specialists will be trained to work at the factories of Gyumri and Artik. “Sasstex” director Christian Geleji vows to create 300-500 jobs only in Gyumri. The Government of Armenia has allocated the premise of the former provincial hospital and the surrounding area to the company to foster its activities.

The company reconstructs the premise and builds new houses to get rid of the huts in the area. 16 families living in those huts will receive new houses.

To the question if in the future it will be possible to exclude Turkish-made textile from Armenia, Christian Geleji answered that it is the responsibility of the Government, but stated that the special workwear clothing produced in Shirak is of rather high quality and in the near future they will also cooperate with the prominent ZARA brand.

Currently, construction and reconstruction works of the garment factory are underway. Speaking about the delay of launching Gyumri’s factory, the “Sasstex” director noted that it is mainly connected by the huts in the area.

“The most difficult issue is to make people work after 25 years of idle period. We have great potentials in Armenia and are able to compete with any country, but we have to teach our people how to overcome the idle period”, the Diaspora-Armenian businessman said.

Armenuhi Mkhoyan