Armenian parliament begins discussions on 2021 draft budget
17.11.2020,
15:27
The Armenian parliament has begun discussions on the draft state budget for 2021.
YEREVAN, November 17. /ARKA/. The Armenian parliament has begun discussions on the draft state budget for 2021.
The discussions were supposed to start in the morning, but opposition MPs did not give the opportunity to approve the agenda to start discussions, constantly taking the floor to demand prime minister's resignation.
Opposition MPs argue that in a country where such uncertainty and protests demanding the resignation of the prime minister reign, it is inappropriate to discuss other bills. After the opposition speeches and their decision to leave the hall the deputies from the ruling My Step faction began discussing the draft state budget for 2021.
Minister of Finance Atom Janjughazyan said: “We have no alternative but to have established state institutions and a strong economic system. If this is not the case, it will be impossible to develop the rest. In addition, we have obligations that are provided for by laws, international agreements and the powers of the state. It is impossible to stop budgetary processes for a while and then restore them again,” Janjughazyan said.
As for the opposition's statements that the draft state budget was prepared before September and does not reflect the latest realities and, therefore, should be revised, the minister noted that this takes time.
“Until the whole range of obligations has been revised, it is inappropriate and problematic to talk about fundamental changes in the budget based on the changes in the situation, since this is not just a commonality of numbers; there is a policy, programs, including expenditure,” Janjughazyan said.
The minister noted that the draft budget must be adopted, after which calculations, assessments and adjustments can be made based on the current situation, as was done twice in the course of 2020.
The draft state budget for 2021 calls for 1 trillion 569.06 billion drams in revenue and 1 trillion 843.1 billion drams in spending. The projected budget deficit is f 274 billion drams (4.1% of GDP). Economic growth is foreseen at 4.8%, and inflation is set at 4% (± 1.5%). ($1 - 497.14 drams). –0--
The discussions were supposed to start in the morning, but opposition MPs did not give the opportunity to approve the agenda to start discussions, constantly taking the floor to demand prime minister's resignation.
Opposition MPs argue that in a country where such uncertainty and protests demanding the resignation of the prime minister reign, it is inappropriate to discuss other bills. After the opposition speeches and their decision to leave the hall the deputies from the ruling My Step faction began discussing the draft state budget for 2021.
Minister of Finance Atom Janjughazyan said: “We have no alternative but to have established state institutions and a strong economic system. If this is not the case, it will be impossible to develop the rest. In addition, we have obligations that are provided for by laws, international agreements and the powers of the state. It is impossible to stop budgetary processes for a while and then restore them again,” Janjughazyan said.
As for the opposition's statements that the draft state budget was prepared before September and does not reflect the latest realities and, therefore, should be revised, the minister noted that this takes time.
“Until the whole range of obligations has been revised, it is inappropriate and problematic to talk about fundamental changes in the budget based on the changes in the situation, since this is not just a commonality of numbers; there is a policy, programs, including expenditure,” Janjughazyan said.
The minister noted that the draft budget must be adopted, after which calculations, assessments and adjustments can be made based on the current situation, as was done twice in the course of 2020.
The draft state budget for 2021 calls for 1 trillion 569.06 billion drams in revenue and 1 trillion 843.1 billion drams in spending. The projected budget deficit is f 274 billion drams (4.1% of GDP). Economic growth is foreseen at 4.8%, and inflation is set at 4% (± 1.5%). ($1 - 497.14 drams). –0--
