Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan's adviser Mane Adamyan announced on his Facebook page.

"Within the framework of the EU Economic and Investment Plan published in July 2021 and then presented in Yerevan by the Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement of the European Commission, the European Union committed to mobilizing 2.6 billion euros through various financial instruments (loans, grants, guarantees, investments in the private sector) in 5 mutually agreed on priority directions for Armenia. to support.

They are:
Support for a sustainable, innovative, and competitive economy; direct support to 30,000 SMEDMCs;
Promotion of communication and socio-economic development; Cooperation in the construction of the North-South Corridor,
Investing in digital transformation, innovation, science, and technology;
Support for strengthening the resilience of the southern regions,
Investments in Yerevan: Bright and green Yerevan.

Then, as a result of periodic discussions led by the Prime Minister and with the participation of the members of the Government, the Armenian side formed a program package indicating the priority programs under each milestone. The Armenian side also proposed two additional benchmarks: support for access to education and waste and water management. In September 2021, this package was officially transferred to the EU side. Working groups were then formed, with the involvement of relevant government departments' representatives, to develop and implement each program proposal in more detail with EU structures and European financial institutions.

Taking into account the volume of the package, priority projects were first identified at the proposal of the EU side to start the package's implementation, so different projects are in various stages of development and implementation.

In particular:

Landmark 1:
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, together with various commercial banks operating in Armenia, has approved projects worth about 30 million euros to increase the competitiveness of SMEs and projects worth 13 million euros to promote women's entrepreneurship.
At the same time, the program developed with the cooperation of the European Investment Bank and the Central Bank of the German Armenian Fund is in the finalization stage, by which it is expected to allocate around 70 million euros to the greening and technological saturation of SMEs, women's entrepreneurship, businesses providing regional and inclusive development.

Landmark 2:
Extensive work has been carried out to prepare the Sisian-Kajaran road section of the North-South highway (including the Bargushat tunnel). In particular, the project's social and environmental impact assessments, the central part of the technical and economic study of the project, were carried out, as a result of which several recommendations were presented. The program, estimated at around 900 million euros, is expected to be given to the European side next year for financing with a mixed loan-grant instrument.

Landmark 3:
A new budget support program has been developed with the EU. It is in the process of approval, within the framework of which the Government plans to allocate 15.3 million euros from the grant funds for the reconstruction and re-equipment of laboratories in all science fields (chemistry, physics, biology, geography, ICT) in Ararat, Kotayk, and Gegharkunik. :

Landmark 4:
The "EU Resilience Instrument for Armenia" funding agreement was approved, within which EUR 9 million in grant support will be provided to support SMEs operating in the Syunik region and to finance small community infrastructure projects in Syunik.
A new EU budget support program has been developed. It is in the process of approval, within the framework of which the Government plans to allocate 14 million euros from the grant funds for the repair of 13 educational complexes in Kapan, provision of property, and training of teachers; eight minibusses will be purchased to organize education.

The program for developing innovative informal education in Syunik with a total cost of 20 million euros (10 million euros grant, 10 million euros loan) is also in the stage of being summarized and approved, with which 2 COAF bright centers will be created in the Syunik region

Landmark 5:
The "Yerevan Buses" project worth 25 million euros (5 million euros - grant, 20 million euros - loan) was approved, within which 87 buses powered by compressed natural gas will be purchased for Yerevan. The first batch will be in Yerevan in early 2023.
The program for increasing energy efficiency in Yerevan with a total cost of 37 million euros (10 million euros - grant, 25 million euros - loan, 2 million euros co-financing) is in the stage of summary and approval. It is planned to renovate 29 kindergartens and six polyclinics in Yerevan.

At the same time, several other programs under the Economic and Investment Plan are in various stages of development. Apart from this, the Government continues cooperating with the European Union in different priority directions. In particular, a 10 million euro grant funding agreement aimed at police reforms, migration management, and human rights protection, and a 5.2 million euro grant funding agreement aimed at improving the social protection system in Armenia, were approved.