ArmInfo. Armenia has not so far received its share, over $20mln, due to it from the customs duties collected in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Rustam Badasyan, Chairman of the RA State Revenue Committee, told reporters on Wednesday.
The funds will be received after the Heads of State approve the relevant mechanisms "Armenia's share is about AMD 10bln for March-April," Mr Badasyan said.
The Ukraine developments have created additional exchange rate risks.
"I do not think there is a grave problem. The problem is to be solve before the end of this month and Armenia will receive the money," Mr Badasyan said.
At the March 31 Cabinet meeting, Mr Badasyan promised more-than-budgeted tax revenues for the first quarter of 2022. "We are going to sum up tomorrow, but it is clear now that we will collect several billion drams more than budgeted for the first quarter, even given the fact that we have not yet received the 6 billion drams from the total amount of tax duties of the Eurasian Economic Union," he said. He is not so optimistic about the third and fourth quarters in the context of declined exports from Armenia. However, Armenia's Premier Nikol Pashinyan disagreed with Mr Badasyan, saying he was very optimistic.
The expenditures of the state budget of Armenia in January-February 2022 amounted to 231.2 billion drams, which is 47.6% of the adjusted figure for the first quarter. At the same time, 16.4% or 38 billion drams out of the indicated 231.2 billion drams was directed to cover the costs of the defense sector, which is 45.1% of the adjusted figure for the first quarter. It should be noted that according to the RA Law "On the State Budget for 2022", Armenia's GDP will amount to 7% by the end of the year (the other day, the Central Bank and the IMF adjusted their forecast to 1.6%, Fitch Ratings - to 1.3% - ed. note). Budget revenues in 2022 will amount to 1 trillion 947.8 billion drams (24.7% of GDP) or 17.5% (289 billion drams) more than in 2021, expenditures - 2 trillion 184 billion drams or 27.7% GDP (184 billion drams more than the figure adjusted for the current year and 334 billion drams more than the approved figure for 2021), and the state budget deficit is 236.2 billion drams. At the same time, current expenditures will amount to 23.2% of GDP or 1 trillion 843 billion drams (81 billion drams (4.6%) more than the indicator set for 2021), and capital expenditures will amount to 352 billion drams or 4.5% of GDP. At the same time, the expenditures of the defense sector of Armenia this year will increase by about 11%, or by 33 billion drams, amounting to more than 345.4 billion drams (about 15.8% of the expenditure part of the state budget).
