YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. A shift from an over-centralized system to a de-centralized one is taking place in Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in parliament in response to a question from a lawmaker.

“When I was describing the phases of the revolution’s victory, I found the most important and turning point to be de-centralization, I was saying it also in terms of organization and administration of economic life. Essentially, I would speak about the need for rejecting certain de facto and de jure powers. A transition from an over-centralized system to a de-centralized system is taking place in Armenia, and meanwhile we will certainly have numerous side effects, but overall this is a correct strategy, because the logic behind de-centralization is in line with the logic of democracy and certain outsourcing of powers,” he said.

He said that the separation of government and economic activity is very important.

“For our government, it is highly important to refuse from unnecessary regulations. But I also mean the shadow regulations. The separation of government and economic activity is very important for us. Because, if local-self government bodies stay within powers and philosophy, problems will be solved on their own, because problems are appearing in times when a mayor or prime minister, or minister, is a competitor with some other business operator in a given business sector. Our logic of de-centralization is the following – we must refuse from regulation that do not manage risks and clearly separate government and business,” he said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan