ArmInfo. Armenia has been  moving to program budgeting since 2019. Amendments to the Law on the  Budget System and a package of accompanying laws were made at an  extraordinary meeting of the National Assembly of the Republic of  Armenia on December 13.

ArmInfo. The Armenian authorities are making an attempt to legitimize the illegality of using previously attracted loans. Mikayel Melkumyan, Vice Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, stated this on December 12 from the rostrum of the National Assembly, commenting on the draft amendments to the laws on the budget system and on the state debt submitted by the government.

ArmInfo. The National  Assembly of Armenia on December 8 approved the draft state budget for  2018. For the adoption of the document, 64 deputies voted, with 35  against and no abstentions.

ArmInfo. Finance Minister of  Armenia Vardan Aramyan received delegation of European Bank of  Reconstruction and Development(EBRD) led by Vice-President Alan  Piu.Highly estimating two-sided cooperation, the sides discussed ways  of extending cooperation. 

ArmInfo.The Armenian  government, following the results of parliamentary discussions,  revised its forecasts both for the revenues of the state budget of  the republic for 2018 and for expenditures. As a result, the  healthcare budget, the government's reserve fund will be increased,  and the costs of servicing the country's public debt will increase.  The siloviki will also not offend - their funding will be increased  by 1.123 billion drams.

ArmInfo. Armenian Minister of Finance Vardan Aramyan and European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice President Vazil Hudak signed a grant agreement worth 2 million euros from the Eastern European Partnership for Energy Efficiency and the Environment (December 1) within the framework of the "Solid Household Waste of Yerevan" program E5P).

ArmInfo. The Armenian  government, following the results of parliamentary discussions,  revised its expectations on the state budget revenues for 2018.  According to the adjusted project, the revenue part will be 1.308.2  billion drams, instead of the previously projected 1.307.3 billion  drams. At the same time, tax revenue is expected to grow.

ArmInfo. Expenses of the state  treasury of Armenia in 2018 as a result of discussions in the  standing commissions of the National Assembly increased by 15 billion  drams.  This November 30, presenting an adjusted version of the draft  budget for the next year, during the government meeting, Armenian  Minister of Finance Vardan Aramyan

ArmInfo. On November 28,  Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed the law "On the exemption  from VAT of imports of exclusively defense products for the Armed  Forces of the Republic of Armenia within the framework of interstate  (intergovernmental) agreements signed between the Republic of Armenia  and other countries." This was reported by the press service of the  RA President.

ArmInfo. The Armenian  government is reviewing tax benefits for mortgage lending. The  corresponding decision was made on November 23 at a meeting of the  Cabinet of Ministers of the country.

ArmInfo.  Dividends in respectto resident persons will be charged from 2018," Armenian Finance Minister Vardan  Aramyan said at a government meeting on November 23. On the proposal  of the Ministry of Finance, the Cabinet of Ministers of Armenia  approved the introduction of amendments and additions to the Tax Code  of the country, which will enter into force on January 1, 2018.   "About 90% of the proposed changes, the country's financial  department has developed on the basis of proposals received from the  private sector," said RA Minister of Finance Vardan Aramyan.

ArmInfo. Armenia is going to  mitigate fiscal rules and is making adjustments in regulating the  permissible level of public debt in the country's GDP to stimulate  economic growth. The Armenian government approved amendments and  additions to the laws "On the Budget System" and "On the State Debt"  on November 23 at the meeting.

ArmInfo.  Armenia establishes  new approaches in assessing the capital and current costs of economic  entities. Corresponding changes to the Armenian government's decree  of 11 April 2000 were approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on 23  November.

ArmInfo.  In 2018, the  profitable part of the state budget of Armenia is planned at the  level of 1.307.3 trillion drams, the expenditure part - 1.464.2  trillion drams, the budget deficit will make 156.9 billion drams. The  RA Minister of Finance Vardan Aramyan stated this at the plenary  session of the RA National Assembly on November 15 presenting the  bill "On the State Budget of 2018".

ArmInfo. The German  Development Bank (KfW) will provide Armenia with a loan of 80 million  euros for budget assistance (coverage of the budget deficit). The  draft loan agreement was approved at a meeting of the Armenian  government on November 9.

ArmInfo. The Asian  Development Bank will provide Armenia with $ 40 million to support  the government's consistent efforts to strengthen fiscal stability  and develop financial markets in the country. The government of  Armenia at the meeting on November 2 gave a go- ahead for signing an  agreement with the bank.

ArmInfo. In Armenia, it is necessary to resolve the issue of monopolists, which will ensure additional revenues to the state budget of the country. Such a statement was made  on October 31 at the parliamentary hearings on the draft state budget of the country in 2018, by the law maker of the "Prosperous Armenia" faction Sergei Bagratyan.

ArmInfo. The budget revenues of Armenia in 2018 will grow by 97.3 billion AMD - up to 1.307.3 billion AMD (without the receipt of interbudgetary transfers). Taxes will grow by 112 billion AMD, according to RA Minister of Finance Vardan Aramyan's statement on October 30, speaking at the discussions on the draft state budget for 2018 in the NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs.

ArmInfo. By 2018, the state sector of Armenia will lose 5564 staff units. Finance Minister Vardan Aramyan stated this on October 30, speaking at the discussion of the draft state budget for 2018 in the permanent parliamentary commission on financial and credit and budget issues.

ArmInfo. "The Armenian  Ministry of Finance cares about the people and everything done is  done for the people," the head of the department Vardan Aramyan said,  responding to the remark that the citizens of the country are tired  of empty conversations and are waiting for the authorities to move  from words to deeds. The financial department of the country on  October 30 presented the draft budget of Armenia for 2018. According  to the minister, the Ministry of Finance cannot say today that the  quality of life of Armenians will change dramatically for the better.  The financial department, nevertheless, guarantees the performance of  those indicators that are laid in the draft budget for the next year.  In the context of improving the living standards of the country's  citizens, Aramyan noted the expectations regarding GDP per capita in  Armenia. By the end of 2016, the figure was $ 3532, according to the  results of the year 2017, $ 3,699 is expected, and by the end of next  year the figure will grow to $ 3,985.  "This means that the quality  of life gross domestic product per capita will record growth," the  minister said.