To reduce the dominance of the state over major parts of the economy, the government should at explore methods for optimal public-private interaction, through which the private sector will take the reins of economic and cultural related activities, said planning and investment deputy of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) Saeed Shirkavand.
“Currently, government priority is to authorize private sector to hold exhibitions since the government has not played an effective role in holding such events previously,” IRNA quoted him as saying in a meeting with Iran’s Friendship Associations with other countries.
He called for closer collaboration between the associations and embassies to improve scheduled events and activities. “The private sector must be influential enough to be regarded by the government as an indispensable part of economic activities,” he said, pointing to the intellectual support by the government and the organization for the sector’s activities.
Measures Taken
The ownership of four historical buildings were recently transferred to the private sector through auction with the aim of shifting the sector’s participation in investment, said director general of Revitalization and Utilization Fund for Historical Places, Ehsan Iravani, IRNA reported.
According to the main priority of the fund, which is competency assessment of applicants through a comprehensive process, qualified investors included: ‘Abarkooh Houses’ (Yazd province), ‘Aminian House’ (Kerman province), ‘Ettehadieh Bath’ (West Azerbaijan province), and ‘Gap Bath’ (Lorestan Province).
Facilitating financing procedures over the past two years, the fund managed to absorb non-state investments and privatize some historical places.
