VILLAGE A WEAK LINK IN BUDGET 2005

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
09 Dec 04

On December 6 the leaders of parliamentary committees and factions
discussed documents connected with the State Budget 2005. According to
the minister of finance and economy Spartak Tevossian, the budget of
the coming year will total 22 billion drams. Revenues will total 7
billion drams of which 4.5 billion will come from loans. Karabakh will
receive more than 13 billion drams from Armenia as an interstate
loan. According to Spartak Tevossian, in the upcoming year the
salaries of budget-paid workers will be increased by 10-15 per
cent. The average salary of teachers will total 50 500 drams. Basic
pension will rise from 3000 to 4000 drams, and the increment for each
year of service will increase from 140 to 160 drams. The pensions will
rise by an average of 20-25 per cent. The size of the state benefits
to separate groups of the population will grow as well. According to
Spartak Tevossian, in this year’s project many things are practiced
for the first time. In particular, for the first time half a billion
drams will be provided for irrigation programs. According to the
members of two parliamentary factions, the Democratic Liberal Union
and theArmenian Revolutionary Federation, the budget bill of 2005 is
quite progressive in comparison with the previous years. This fact was
pointed out for several times. During the meetings the drawbacks were
also highlighted. The members of parliament mentioned several points
which need further working. The main observations referred to the
development of rural areas and re-settlement. It was mentioned that
although the means directed at the solution of problems of the
refugees and new settlers were doubled (totaling 870 million drams),
the government did not present a definite program. According to member
of parliament Vahram Atanessian, instead of building houses in
non-prospective villages (arousing the dissatisfaction of
international organizations) it is more appropriate to invest means in
the revival of dying villages. In reference to the same issue member
of parliament Edward Aghabekian emphasized that 600 million drams were
provided for agriculture (viticulture, cattle breeding, leasing of
machines), however, this money does not reach the farmer. Member of
parliament Suren Sarghissian joined him. The problem is that villagers
do not have anything to mortgage whereby loans go to city dwellers and
rich businessmen mainly. Themember of parliament suggested introducing
the institution of state guarantee. He also mentioned that there is
not a clear-cut program for re-settlers from the CIS countries,
particularly Turkmenia, and as a result most of them leave Karabakh.
According to member of parliament Maxim Mirzoyan, building houses in
re-settled villages is not enough, it is necessary to carry out social
and economic programs as well. `Settlement is not just a program but
the aim of our movement. Since 1921 the population of Karabakh has
not grown considerably and the reason is the absence of a national
program,’ said Maxim Mirzoyan. Member of parliament Alyosha Gabrielian
raised the question of state registration and taxation of thousands of
hectares of farmland (used by high state and military officials). As
it was mentioned, last year the ARF faction raised this question, a
state commission was set up which registered 7 thousand hectares of
farmland. But still there are a lot of `shade’ farmlands. In answer
to this question minister of finance Spartak Tevossian noticed that it
is the problem of notonly the government but also the parliament. The
chairman of the meeting, vice speaker of the parliament Mushegh
Ohanjanian presented the budget bill. After the discussion of the bill
by the committees and factions on December 22 the project will be
presented to the National Assembly for the first reading and the
revised budget bill will be adopted on December 27.

NAIRA HAYRUMIAN.
09-12-2004