STATE BUDGET AIMED AT SOLVING URGENT PROBLEMS ․ CLARIFICATIONS FROM THE LEAD COMMITTEE

  The Standing Committee on Financial-Budgetary and Economic Management of the National Assembly provided clarifications and details to the correspondent of "AzatArtsakh" on the peculiarities of the draft law "On the State Budget of the Artsakh Republic for 2022".

Chairman of the commission  Arthur Harutyunyan:

The state budget of the Republic of Artsakh in 2022, as in previous years, has a social orientation. The social sector is the sector with the largest share in the budget expenditure structure. The draft state budget for 2022 envisages a significant increase in salaries, pensions and benefits. On average, salaries will increase by 20% in public administration bodies and other organizations financed from the state budget. In next year's state budget, compared to 2021, the allocations for the capital investment program have increased considerably. These are other programs of housing, water supply, road construction, to which rather large sums of money are allocated - 34.5 billion drams. All the programs, which are reflected in the 2022 state budget today, correspond to both the pre-election program of the Artsakh Republic President and Government-approved programs. All programs address urgent issues arising from the aftermath of the war. Of course, there are many other programs and proposals that would be good to implement, but we should be guided by the opportunities we have.

The Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Artsakh has introduced new programs for the development of the agricultural sector, which should be a stimulus for the development of our economy, economic growth, as a result, of course, with its multiplier effects, job creation, tax increases, new sources of income, etc.

In general,at the moment, the State Budget of the Republic of Artsakh in 2022 can be assessed as a budget aimed at solving urgent problems and economic development. If the numerous planned programs are implemented in 2022, we will record quite serious results in the development of the country. About 124 different proposals on the draft budget were submitted to the government in two stages by separate deputies andfactions of the NA of the Republic of Artsakh. The government has submitted a summary of the first and second rounds of proposals, as a result of which the expenditure part of the next year's state budget has been increased by about 1.1 billion drams compared to the first version. Compared to 2021, the expenditure part of the budget has increased by about 80 billion drams.

The Standing Committee member of the NA fiscal and economic governance issues, Ashot Danielyan:

It should be noted that the state budget of the Artsakh Republic for 2022 is unprecedented / 214 billion. It is aimed at the urgent solution of post-war problems, as well as at the general socio-economic development of the country and ensuring long-term sustainable growth. The state budget of the Artsakh Republic for 2022 is special with large-scale programs envisaged in the field of housing and agriculture. In 2022, construction worth about 34.5 billion drams is planned in the Artsakh Republic. Housing problems of more than 1000 families will be solved, and in 2025 it is planned to have about 10,000 apartments. In the field of agriculture, the emphasis will be especially on innovative technologies: drip systems, new gardens, anti-hail nets, greenhouses. By increasing salaries, benefits, pensions, in the conditions of inflation, the social problems of the people will be alleviated to some extent. Reimbursements for housing and utilities of the displaced will continue; the most important is free medicine starting in the Republic of Artsakh in 2022. In general, if we manage to implement the programs envisaged in the 2022 state budget, we will have not one, but three steps of progress, which will actually be tangible and visible.

The State budgetof Artsakh Republicplans the revenues for 2022 to be about 184 billion drams, of which 40 billion drams will be our own revenues,and 144 billion drams is the budget loan of the Republic of Armenia provided to the Artsakh Republic. A deficitof about 31.3 billion drams was registered.