“IT IS SURPRISING THAT THE COUNTRY’S OFFICIALS DO NOT SPEAK ABOUT THE
ECONOMIC GROWTH CONSEQUENCES,” RA PRESIDENT NOTES
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. At the April 11 meeting at Yerevan
State University, the RA President Robert Kocharian said: “Armenia’s
2005 budgetary expenditures exceed the 2004 expenditures by over 77
bln, 53 bln of which is the net tax revenues expected. This means
allocating an extra amount of 19 bln to the Ministry of Education and
Science, another 7 bln for health care and 2 bln for sports and
culture.” According to R. Kocharian, in 2005, 50 thousand teachers
receive 50,000 drams (about 101 USD) instead of the previous salary of
30,000. The average salary of the army officers has also risen from
70,000 to 120,000 drams. “And all this has happened in a year. It is
surprising that the country’s officials do not speak about this, have
a “complex” about stating the consequences of the country’s economic
growth,” he noted. R. Kocharian said 20 bln drams is used today for
road construction, with considerable part of this funds allocated to
build roads in Syunik and other marzes. 8 bln drams is envisaged for
the irrigation system of Armavir and Vayots Dzor marzes. “It is
necessary to present all this courageously to the public in the form
of figures and fact, and also to tell where the economic growth is
directed,” the President noted.