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Under the draft state budget of Armenia for 2019, the parliament is implementing a program on maintaining the National Assembly’s powers aimed at ensuring an effective legislative field in the country, Chief of Staff, Secretary General Ara Saghatelyan said at today’s parliamentary debates on the 2019 Draft State Budget. 

“To put it simpler, the program is aimed at ensuring the representative, legislative and supervisory functions of the parliament. The program features four events that cost a total of 5 billion 254 million drams which is 399 million drams more than the sum allocated under last year’s budget. The addition is based on an increase in financial means intended for bonuses,” he said.

Saghatelyan detailed one of the programs refers to ensuring the parliament activities and carrying out legislative, analytical, and representative services, which requires 4 billion 968 million drams, up by 323 million from the 2018 budgetary allocation, while the second one covers Armenia’s accession to international parliamentary organizations with an envisaged sum of 180 million drams.

He says a total of 1 million 211 thousand drams is set to be allocated to train the National Assembly staff, while 104 million drams will be used to upgrade the technical equipment in the institution.

The official also added 3 billion 632 million drams are necessary for work payments – an increase of 598 million from last year.

As a result of budgetary allocations, the parliament will hold at least 48 regular and 23 special sessions, 28 hearings and 25 briefings.

“At least 300 new laws and draft parliament decisions will be adopted throughout the year, with around 23 visits of official delegations and 7-10 visits of friendship groups scheduled for next year,” Saghatelyan said.

He also unveiled plans to improve the technical conditions for the activities of lawmakers and parliament staff, noting the National Assembly will purchase 100 new computers, 50 printers, as well as various furniture types.

Saghatelyan called attention to the issues regarding the capital reconstruction and repair of the parliament building. He stressed that in one case they requested 109 million drams from the government, in another case 205 million drams last year, while no allocations were made to deal with the issue.

“This means that the parliament building and its campuses, which are constantly facing repair and maintenance issues, can be put at risk. That’s why we are going to appeal again to the government,” he said.

Saghatelyan pointed to the heating, water supply and thermal insulation issues persisting in the building for years, which have been failed to be settled so far.