Yerevan/Mediamax/. Representative of the EU Delegation to Armenia Jean-Christophe Gayrand stated today that \"we expect not decrease but increase in the EU’s financial assistance.

He stated this answering Mediamax’s question during the event devoted to the review of “Business Advisory Services Program” of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The main goal of BAS program implemented in Armenia since 2003 is to render large-scale consulting assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises.

National BAS Program Director in Armenia Tigran Aghabekyan noted that one of EU demands was to give priority to the country’s regions. In June 2011, 70 different projects were launched within the program-27% of them were implemented in villages, 53%- in the towns of marzes and only 20% of them were implemented in Yerevan. According to Tigran Aghabekyan, it will help disrupt the current balance between the capital and Armenian regions.

Besides, he recalled that within the implementation of the program, special attention is attached to the female entrepreneurs and young businessmen.

“At the level of enterprises, we strive to do our best to enhance their competitiveness”, stated Tigran Aghabekyan adding that 89% of companies which get their consulting services have a personnel of less than 50 employees.

Answering Mediamax’s question, Tigran Aghabekyan stated that 130 consultants are involved in the works and 32 of them are foreign specialists.

As of now, already 842 BAS projects are realized in Armenia within which the volume of investments attracted by donors makes about EUR 5.3mln.