YEREVAN, MARCH 15, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on March 15 attended the opening ceremony of ‘Digital Solutions for Food Safety’ conference which was organized by the State Service for Food Safety on the occasion of the World Consumers Rights Day, the government told Armenpress.

The PM said the slogan of the World Consumers Rights Day 2018 is ‘Making Digital Marketplaces Fairer’ which is in accordance with the digital agenda being formed in Armenia.

“I think in the contemporary governance the digitization is one of the most relevant topics relating to all spheres. Every republican executive body must attach importance to installing digital tools taking into account some of their advantages. It’s also necessary to propose digital solutions in the field of ensuring food safety. The events organized by the State Service for Food Safety play an important role in the protection of consumer rights”, the PM said, adding that such events aim at strengthening the responsibility of state, public and private sector on controlling the food safety and quality.

Karen Karapetyan said it’s obvious that it would be impossible to give solutions to issues without cooperating with each other, voicing about the issues and sometimes criticizing them. “The protection of the consumer is first of all the awareness on his/her own rights, and in this sense the NGOs, mass media play a great role. In this regard the actions being taken within the frames of the consumer rights protection week are completely directed for implementing that goal. I am confident that during today’s event proposals on digitization of food safety will be made and practical solutions will be offered”, the Prime Minister said.

PM Karapetyan highlighted the works carried out in the field of food safety in the recent period. “We clearly understand where we should move on and what steps we must take so that our citizen will gradually be confident that he/she uses safer food. Here, of course, it’s very important for our consumer to be aware of his/her rights and have an active position”, he said.

The conference was attended by Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Świtalski, Armenia’s agriculture minister Ignati Arakelyan, head of the State Service for Food Safety of the ministry of agriculture Ishkhan Karapetyan and other officials.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan