At a conference today to drum up business for the central Armenian province of Gegharkunik, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the “logic of corruption and monopoly has disappeared from Armenia”, and that the government can ensure that all business projects are reviewed in a transparent and public manner.

The investment conference, and adjacent expo displaying local manufactured goods, was held in the town of Gavar, the administrative capital of Gegharkunik, with a population of some 20,000.

Pashinyan noted the importance of Lake Sevan, which lies within the province, to the country’s tourist trade and said that the time had come to clean up the lake’s extensive shoreline and protect its waters.

The prime minister, in his address to the gathered guests - local and foreign investors, Armenian MPs, bank sector representatives, foreign ambassadors – said that the investment climate in the country has changed.

“I want to declare that the creation of a level playing field for all economic players is our priority,” Pashinyan said, adding that his government still needed time to realize this goal.

The Armenian prime minister also said that the maintenance of international environmental standards is a priority for his government.

“There are those who write a good book. Some are good singers. Some get into politics. Others have different talents. Starting a business demands a special talent as well. I am sure that we have talented businesspeople in Armenia and outside Armenia,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan said his government’s policies since the “Velvet Revolution” have put Armenia on the right track and that the biggest challenge facing the country today is to encourage its citizens, businesspeople and investors to launch commercial enterprises, to come to Armenia, to get rich and enrichen Armenia.

“I welcome you entrepreneurs to Armenia, to Gegharkunik Province. Come to Armenia, to Gegharkunik. Manifest your creative entrepreneurial talents. Get rich and enrichen.”

Pashinyan’s speech was followed by a film highlighting the province’s economic potential and a roundtable discussion on the issue by Gegharkunik Governor Gnel Sanosyan, Gegharkunik MP Varazdat Karapetyan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Artak Kamalyan, Deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources Hakob Vardanyan, and Tourism Committee President Sousanna Safaryan.