OREANDA-NEWS  On 23 September was announced, that, the discussion on waste management issues took place at the Ministry of Economy of RA on September 9.

The initiators of discussion are RA Ministry of Economy, Municipality of Yerevan and World Bank

Number of representatives from interested Ministries,Municipality of Yerevan, World Bank, privet and public organizations were present at discussion.

AGENDA

1.Opening speech

Nerses YERITSYAN, RA Minister of Economy

Artashes BAKHSHYAN, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration of RA

Aristomene VARUDAKIS, Head of the Armenian Office of the World Bank

2. Presentation of "Fichtner" group's advisory and assistance program on waste management

• Introduction of Fichtner’s Project Team

• PPP Success Stories in Solid Waste management

• Clarification of Project targets and Objectives

• Identification of contact persons and target groups

• Project Structure and Time Schedule

• Immediate Actions

3. Questions & Answers

PRESS RELEASE

"The main objective of the state is to provide high quality services for society", - mentioned Minister Nerses Yeritsyan in his speech, emphasizing that the solution of waste management problem has fundamental importance: 1. health protection and environment preservation, 2. business issues and tourism promotion. Mr. Minister expressed hope, that as a result of "Fichtner" Group's experts studies, the comprehensive and productive solutions for waste management problem will be presented.

The importance of realization of the waste management project was signifid by the Deputy Minister of Territorial administration Artashes Bakhshyan and Head of the Armenian Office of the World Bank Aristomene Varudakis.

What does it mean "to solve the waste management problem?"

We can consider a problem of waste management as a solved problem, only in the case when the solid waste will be gathered in a civilized way, under the reasonable price and transported on a landfill, where it'll be sorted and utilized. The solid waste of Nubarashen's landfill can be managed only this way, from the point of view of the Ministry of Economy.

Actions, undertaken by the RA Ministry of Economy for salvation of the solid waste management problem.

In the framework of solid waste management activities the Ministry of Economy gives importance to realisation of following objectives:

• Estimation of the solid waste of Yerevan city these days, guided by existing studies (in case of necessity review the studies).

• Improvement of the process of solid waste gathering and bring it to the local environment protection and sanitary hygienic standards.

• Recovering of the most profitable ways of utilization, including the improvement of existing landfill, by lifting it up to the level of local environment protection and acting standards.

• Estimation of the price rate and mechanisms of waste gathering frequent changes.

• Presentation of the structural sustainable plan of solid waste system of Yerevan.

• Presentation of proposals for implementation of price rates reforms, establishment of favourable conditions for law? environment, promotion cooperation of private- public partnership in financing of solid waste management operations.

• Development of commercial tender conception for solid waste management services in Yerevan, which will optimize the funds directed to reforms of the system.

In order to organize the comprehensive studies and find the best solution for solid waste management of Yerevan the Ministry of Economy made a request to World Bank for assistance. The World Bank announced a tender, where the well known German company Fichtner won.

In 9 months the experts of the company will provide with the results of their studies, and after that the society will be informed by which company, what price and when the waste management programme of Yerevan will be developed. With the help of the independent experts this problem will come to the final and impartial solution, according to the international high standards. The residents of Yerevan will have high service quality by low price rates, and the partnership will be mutually beneficial.