European Union’s ‘water initiative +’ program launched in Armenia
The European Union’s four-year program ‘Water Initiative +’ was launched in Armenia on Tuesday, Artsvik Minasyan, Armenian nature protection minister, told journalists.
The budget of the program for all the six Eastern Partnership countries is €25 million. It is provided by the European Union.
“The project will allow improving significantly the system of management of water resources in Armenia and their records as well as decentralizing the system of their distribution,” Minasyan said.
Refraining from revealing the amount Armenia expects, he just said that plenty depends on the country’s efforts.
“A more effective management system will make it possible to use water resources more rationally,” the minister said. “The situation will be analyzed, consulting on legislative reforms will take place and plans for management of water reservoirs will be worked out.”
In his words, this will also lessen corruption risks, since nobody, including government agencies, will be able to use water reservoirs at their own discretion.
Piotr Switalski, head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, on his side, said that the European Union attaches great importance to this initiative and to cooperation with Armenia in this area.
He said that the project is aimed at improvement of the legislative basis, at practical use of water resources, at modernization of the system and at introduction of European standards.
Switalski expressed hope that the project will improve living conditions in Armenia and enhance the level of regional cooperation.
Eastern Partnership is the European Union’s project aimed at development of the union’s integrative ties with six former Soviet Union countries – Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Belarus. --0---