The macoeconomic indicators of the 2011 draft budget show that Armenian is still in crisis. The crisis is now largely expressed in price rise and layoffs at small and medium enterprises, the head of the political Economy research center Andranik Tevabnyan told NEWS.am.

He also pointed out the problem of outflow of capital from Armenia, which is evidence that Armenia’s business environment not so favorable. “Over the last year, rather large funds have been brought out of Armenia to Georgia. The funds have been invested in the country’s tourist, construction and production industries. That is, when we compared the two economies a few years ago, we used to say Armenian was obviously ahead Georgia. Now, however, we can see quite the opposite. Georgia has become so attractive to businesses that people prefer investing there, which arouses concern,” the expert said.

Asked to comment on RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan’s statement on an increase in money transfers to Armenia this year, Tevanyan said that the increase in money transfers has nothing in common with Armenia’s policy. Rather, it is the result of some intensification in the Russian construction industry. “I do not think it would be economically correct to comment on the Premier’s statement, as none of their programs has become reality. I do not see anything serious about them to comment on them,” the expert said. He also said a higher rate of price rise as compared with GDP growth.

“As a specialist I would hope that the authorities will interfere in economic processes as rarely as possible for the economy to overcome problems by itself. But I do not see such tendencies. On the contrary, they interfere in business activities even more often,” Tevanyan said.