Yerevan /Mediamax/. The classic model of expansive monetary-credit policy, carried out by the Armenian CB, may fail in conditions of a non-classic crisis and decrease of consumer demand, Director of “Ameriabank” Development Department Tigran Jrbashyan stated today.

Mediamax reports that, speaking at a briefing in Yerevan today, Tigran Jrbashyan stated that decrease of banking interest rates as a result of the expansive monetary-credit policy of CB will not lead to directly proportional increase in crediting.

Talking about the problems, which the Armenian banking sphere has faced in conditions of the global financial-economic crisis, Tigran Jrbashyan noted the problems of non-repayment of credits and reduction in deposit/credit correlation.

“The average level of idle credits following the results of the I quarter in the banking system of Armenia makes 7.8%, and in certain banks the given index exceeds 10%”, Tigran Jrbashyan stated. He noted that in “Ameriabank”, the specific weight of idle credits in credit portfolio makes 0.6%, which is the lowest index in the banking system of Armenia and is conditioned by the orientation of the bank towards providing services to large corporate customers.

Tigran Jrbashyan in general gave a positive assessment to the situation in the banking system of Armenia, stating that “its relative stability is accounted for not only small sizes and poor participation in the real sector of economy, but also by the fact that the requirements on assessing the risks by the regulator were twice tougher, as compared to the ones, which are applied, for instance, for Russian banks”.

“No major stresses are expected to take place in the banking system of Armenia, and if Armenian banks conclude the year with zero profit indices, this will be a positive result”, Tigran Jrbashyan stated, adding that the banks will have to replenish their capitals and may do that, taking the path of takeovers and mergers.

Tigran Jrbashyan stated that “Ameriabank” is yet considering a few variants to purchase a bank and holds the corresponding negotiations.