YEREVAN, March 2. /ARKA/. Areximbank-Gazprombank Group anticipates 20 % remittance increase in 2012, said Ruben Khachatryan, Deputy General Director of the bank.

“Money transfers throughout the whole banking system were said to have a positive dynamics for increasing by 11-15% in 2011. We hope to report nearly 20% increase as the situation improves,” the press service of the bank quoted Khachatryan to ARKA.

At the same time, all banks offer their clients international money transfer systems under the same conditions, according to him.

“The market is filled with supply, thereafter the demand is reduced. Our bank faced the same situation in 2011. Total of individuals’ remittances via different money transfer systems dropped 20% to 5 billion drams in 2011 from a the last year’s 6.2 billion drams,” he said.

Khachatryan noted that market competition is very tough, and only the one offering better services will come first in it. “It is necessary to enhance the work efficiency, expand a range of the offered services, step up partnership with different international payment systems,” he added.

Today the bank makes international money transfers via such systems as “EXPRESS MAIL,”“MIGOM”, “CONTACT” and “MONEYGRAM”, “BLIZKO”, as well as quite recent “Gazprom-Express” inscribed money transfers without opening account from Russia to Armenia, he said.“In the near future the bank plans to join ANELIK and UNISTREAM systems. We also negotiate with another payment system, that holds 50% of remittances market in Russia and CIS,” Khachatryan pointed out.Areximbank-Gazprombank Group made a total of 272.5- billion- dram money transfers in 2011, of them without opening account- total of 5 billion drams and via S.W.I.F.T system- 267.5 billion drams. Areximbank-Gazprombank Group CJSC was established in August 1998. Gazprombank OJSC holds its 100% stock. ($1 – 388.57 drams). -0-