Prime Minister Welcomes Representatives of Textile Industry Companies

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has received representatives of companies operating in the textile industry. The Prime Minister stated that the purpose of the meeting is to identify the existing issues in the sector under crisis conditions and to discuss possible solutions.

“We need to discuss the potential support tools that will facilitate the industry’s exit from the crisis and return to a growth path,” said Nikol Pashinyan.

Minister Tigran Khachatryan reported that 90 percent of Armenian textile products are exported abroad, and even during the crisis, no decrease in demand has been recorded. In the first quarter of this year, there was a 22 percent increase in the textile sector, while in the second quarter, a 15 percent decrease was observed, primarily due to reduced working hours and limited employee activities amidst the coronavirus situation.

Representatives of companies have indicated as a problem the reduction of export volumes due to unfavorable logistical conditions, which prevents the engagement of new employees and the training of qualified staff. They also addressed other issues that could help in the development and advancement of the sector.

In this context, possibilities and mechanisms for government support in maintaining jobs, training personnel, and technical re-equipment were discussed. Issues related to the simplification of export and import procedures were also addressed.

The Prime Minister tasked the responsible individuals to continue discussions with the private sector within the next week and to submit a draft decision related to support tools based on the results of these discussions. The head of the executive urged representatives of the private sector to also adhere to anti-epidemic rules to avoid new outbreaks of the coronavirus.