Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan chaired the meeting of the Government on Friday, Artsakh President’s press service reported.

Speaking on the issues on the meeting agenda, the President summed up the results of the country’s socioeconomic development in 2018, defined the objectives for 2019, giving corresponding instructions for their proper fulfillment.

Bako Sahakyan pointed out that overall the scheduled programs were effectively forged ahead in 2018, ensuring economic development and mentioned that GDP reached around 303 billion Armenian Drams registering a double-digit economic growth based on progress in mining and energy, as well as commerce and services sectors.

The President noted that the year was concluded without financial commitments, qualifying this fact as positive sign of development.

President Sahakyan highlighted the fact that Artsakh not only reached self-sufficiency in electrical power generation but also became an electricity exporting country.

“The formation, maintenance and development of a relevant business atmosphere, creation of an appropriate environment for small- and medium-sized businesses are among the important incentives for dynamic development of the economy. Among the cornerstone objectives of our economic policy is making this very business environment a competitive advantage of our economy,” he said.

According to him, Artsakh is a social state, and the social sphere remains a priority on the country’s development agenda, noting that the state would continue implementing diverse programs aimed at enhancing socioeconomic welfare of the population, with a special emphasis on the vulnerable segments of the society, especially, the families of perished freedom fighters and servicemen, families with many children and low-incomes.

Touching upon the 2019 objectives, Bako Sahakyan noted the necessity of doing the utmost for the implementation of all the planned programs, stressing the need of optimization and effective usage of public resources.