SME Cooperation Association held its 3rd Annual Meeting, which summarized the work done during the last three years, discussed a number of organizational issues, made changes in the statute and elected new President.
The former president Hakob Avagyan said that two candidates were nominated for the president’s post – he and Artak Manukyan, the Board Member. Hakob Avagyan withdrew his candidature. Artak Manukyan was elected President of the Association by majority vote.
Mr. Avagyan noted that the number of members of SME Cooperation Association in the past three years has grown and totaled to 620 instead of the initial 7. They worked on legislative changes, and fought against legislative amendments which put SMEs in a difficult situation, developed and submitted proposals on legal norms to the Government.
He emphasized the importance of dialogue with the government. If the dialogue with organizations representing the interests of business and the government stop, business representatives come out into the streets, organizing protests.
Mr. Karen Zadoyan, the President of Armenian Lawyers’ Association thanked Mr. Avagyan for around 1.5 years cooperation in the scope of the anti-corruption project, and wished success to the newly elected president. He said that they had developed legislative proposals on tax and customs, public procurement spheres and in the sphere of free economic competition. The proposals were submitted to the Anti-Corruption Council, approved and will be included in the Anti-Corruption Strategy Implementation Action Plan.
In the end, Mr. Avagyan awarded a letters of gratitude to the persons who had input in the development of the SME Association and representatives of media which highlighted the coverage of SME problems.
