YEREVAN—The Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation, with the financial support of the Friedrich Ebert-Stiftung of Germany last month presented its research on monopolies and its effects on the domestic market of Armenia to over seventy economists, scholars, researchers, and representatives of relevant state bodies in Yerevan.
In 2012, the HMF had invited a working group of experts to undertake this groundbreaking study, which included Ara Nranyan, former Member of Parliament and economist; Hayk Hovhanissyan, economist and Arsen Petrosyan, economist.
Prior to the presentation of the study, “Monopolies in Armenia,” welcoming remarks were made by the Director of the Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation, Maria Titizian, Regional Director of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Michael Weichart and Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau member, David Lokyan.
The event was moderated by Artsvik Minasyan, current National Assembly member of the Republic of Armenia.
Following opening remarks, the HMF Working Group presented its findings that included a theoretical and practical analysis of monopolies in a global context, the current state of markets in Armenia, international best practices implemented to regulate monopolies, the effect of domestic monopolies on the Armenian economy, they analyzed the activities of the Republic of Armenia’s State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition (SCPEC) and made specific recommendations for the implementation of a model for tighter regulation of monopolies in the country. The overriding premise of the study strived to illustrate that to ensure a competitive atmosphere in the country’s domestic market, something which is essential for economic growth Armenia must demonstrate the political will to ensure regulation and compliance for the management of monopolies.
A question and answer session followed the presentation.
Click to read the full electronic version of the study in English.
If you want to study monopolies in the Armenian economy, start with the president and his group of cronies, goons, and thugs, and finish with any local policeman. The question of monopolies is actually an ingrained mentality in this poor and hopelessly corrupt mafia-state.
I applaud the Foundation for the its professionalism. I read some of the English version of the conference material which proved to be extremely well prepared and spot on.
I hope the present government can take the conclusions of the conference and implement the recommendations to increase fairness in Armenian society and increase its competitiveness in the global economy.
Transition for a monopolistic markets to polypolistic markets MUST also entail judicial reform, application of rule of law and enforcement of the current laws on the books.
The first realistic step of dismantling monopoly is to prevent members of the Armenian Parliament to conduct separate businesses while being elected official as the powers vested in them will have severe manifestations of conflict of interest.
Again I commend the organizers of the conference.