Arsen Ghazaryan, President of the Union of Manufactures and Businessmen, discusses recent developments in Armenia’s private sector.
European Times: What are the Union’s main goals?
Arsen Ghazaryan: Our main task is to protect the interests of our members, mainly medium-sized and large companies operating in Armenia. We examine drafts of new legislation and represent our members in discussions with the government – we give our members a voice. We also help our member companies to find foreign partners.
European Times: What are some of the Union’s recent accomplishments?
Arsen Ghazaryan: The fact that we have come together to protect our rights makes us very proud. Our goal was to create a contemporary image of Armenian businessmen. The Union is intensively involved in projects aimed at creating a more business-friendly environment in Armenia. We also focus on boosting Armenia’s regional trade and business ties, particularly with Turkey, and we strongly support the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Turkey. We are confident that economic cooperation is a core factor for creating dialogue, building confidence, and achieving normalisation and reconciliation. In 1997, the Union co-founded the Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council (TABDC). From 2010 to 2012, the Union implemented the “Support to Armenia-Turkey Normalisation” (SATR) project, which lead to increased bilateral trade and cross-border dialogue.
European Times: What are your future goals?
Arsen Ghazaryan: Our priorities are to continue to work with the government to develop a more competitive and fair private sector; to help our members boost their own competitiveness, especially in foreign markets; and to promote corporate social responsibility. We want to make sure that our employees have decent salaries and we want to fund social programmes, specifically health and education initiatives.
European Times: What is your personal message to international readers?
Arsen Ghazaryan: Although Armenia is a small market, it offers investors a very promising future. Armenia does not need help. Armenia needs valuable partnerships and European investors.
