Pashinyan: The budget for 2020 is indeed revolutionary

ArmInfo. The budget for 2020  is indeed a revolutionary one.  On November 15, speaking from the  rostrum of the parliament, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated.  At  the beginning of his speech, the Prime Minister noted that he was  going to answer the two most frequently asked questions: is the  budget for 2020 really "revolutionary", and when will citizens feel  the changes?

Answering the first question, Pashinyan recalled that during the  velvet revolution, even before his appointment as prime minister, he  promised that within two or three years the budget of Armenia should  increase by 30-35%. As it was noted, in the draft budget for 2020,  the revenue part of the budget, compared to the 2018, grew by 27.4%.

"If we add to this the over fulfillment of the budget revenues for  2018 in the amount of 62 billion drams, then the growth will already  be 33%. And even if you take into account changes in the tax code and  the mandatory pension fund system, the growth will exceed 35%. This  is a direct answer to the question of whether the budget for 2020 is  revolutionary. Yes, this budget is revolutionary, because the pre-  revolutionary promise has been fully fulfilled", Pashinyan  emphasized.

He drew attention to the fact that the capital expenditures planned  for 2020 are 135.1% higher than the actual figures for 2018.

"In 2020, it is planned to allocate as much funds for overhaul and  construction of roads as were allocated in 2015, 2016 and 2017  combined. Compared with the budget for 2018, next year, for housing  and utilities, the growth of allocated funds will amount to 120%; in  healthcare- 39.5%, in education - 34%, in the "social sector" - 21%.  In addition, in terms of social pensions and benefits, it is planned  to allocate 74 billion drams more than in 2018'', Pashinyan  emphasized.

The Prime Minister informed that the expenses of the Ministry of  Defense in comparison with 2018 will increase by 28%, and the  Ministry of Nature Protection - by 41%.

The ratio of public debt to GDP in 2020 will be 52.2% (against 58.9%  in 2017). "Today, the international reserves of the Republic of  Armenia are at a historically high level," Pashinyan stated.

Answering the second question, namely, whether citizens will feel the  changes in the country, the prime minister noted that all these  processes are interconnected. The prime minister recalled the  increase in salaries for teachers and military personnel, improved  nutrition in the field of military service, the introduction of new  health programs.

"As a result of tax changes alone, from January 1, 2020, the salary  of 230 thousand people will increase," he stressed.

According to him, this year the tourists who arrived in Armenia spent  approximately $ 200-250 million more funds. Another important  indicator: in the republic, economic activity in the first 10 months  of this year amounted to 7.5%.

"Dear compatriots, life changes through work. The government cannot  enter the house of each of you and change your life. The government  can only create conditions for you to live with dignity by honest  work", Pashinyan emphasized.