Armenian economy experiencing hardshipsMarch 21, 2009 - 20:42 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - In January-February 2009 the GDP in Armenia decreased by 3.7% against the last year's index and totaled AMD282 billion, according to national statistics service.The decrease is conditioned by 9.7% industry and 1.5% construction slump. The foreign trade index has decreased by 26.2% and totaled $506 million. Export decreased by 44.8% and import by 21.2%. The number of unemployed has increased by 4.6% and reached 75.7 thousand people. The average salary was fixed as AMD94.7 thousand, what is 13.5% more than last year. The inflation rate made 0.7%. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Ucom Celebrates Telecommunication Day May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865. Armenian, Azerbaijani heads of parliament meet in Switzerland President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Border residents overnight on highway to protest Armenia’s Residents of Kirants continue to express outrage over the government’s decision to cede land to Azerbaijan. Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. |