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During the joint session of the RA NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs, while discussing 2017 Draft State Budget Vahram Mkrtchyan, member of the RPA faction, noted that according to the 2017 budget the funds allocated to the National Assembly will be decreased by 54 million AMD, whereas no amendments have been made regarding the amount of money allocated to the government.

“We ask you to restore our money: 54 million AMD,” he said.

First Deputy Minister of Finance Atom Janjughazyan noted that the reduction is not arbitrary. “It is natural that each state department needs more funds than the state budget allocates. The budget is a state law which takes into account the interests of all the spheres. This is a compromise package. As for the fact that the funds to be allocated have been cut down only in case of the NA, after the parliamentary elections the number of the MPs might not make up to 131, due to which less funds will be needed. If the number of the elected PMs will increase, the issue of allocating more funds will be discussed.”

MP Tevan Poghosyan wanted to know whether Deputy Minister of Finance was already aware of the number of the MPs to be elected as a result of the parliamentary elections to be held in 2017. Atom Janjughazyan replied that pursuant to the RA Constitutions the number of MPs must not be under 101. In case more deputies are elected and more funds are needed they will consider the issue.

Notably 2017 State Budget prescribes to allocate 4 billion 662 million AMD to the National Assembly.