The government must be a leader in protection of intellectual property, Microsoft Armenia Country Manager said.

“Intellectual property protection is a sensitive issue not only for Microsoft, which always took an active stance against violations in the sector,” Grigor Barseghyan told a news conference in Yerevan.

As he noted, back in 2006, when Microsoft opened a representative office in Armenia, piracy rate in the country reached 96-98%. Situation has changed significantly, with current piracy rate dropping to 87%. The result was achieved through proactive work of the company, including educational and public awareness increase programs.

“Clearly, we cannot be satisfied with current situation in the intellectual property sector, with the problem being crucial not only in the context of the Microsoft activity, but the country’s development as a whole. Without receiving protection, the best specialists in the country are leaving abroad where their intellectual rights will be better protected,” Barseghyan said.

As he noted, the issue also causes Armenia to lose investors. “We often speak of the potential and progress of the IT sector, yet absence of foreign investors makes its development all the more difficult. No manufacturer or investor will be willing to work with the country where its intellectual properties are challenged,” Barseghyan said.

As he noted, not only authors or right holders but the state budget are losing millions of dollars, with safety provision issues and technical problems still persisting.