NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET TO PROMISE HIGHER SALARIES
By Ara Martirosian
AZG Armenian Daily #174
29/09/2005
Economy
Pavel Safarian, deputy economy and finances minister, presented
yesterday the draft RA budget of 2006 that the Armenian government
passed on September 28. The GDP is expected to grow by 7.5 per cent
next year raising the GDP to 2.4 trillion dram. Inflation is expected
not to exceed 3 per cent.
The planned revenue for 2006 will amount to 380 billion dram against
last year’s 347 billion. The government will spend 450 billion
next year.
Budgeted deficit will be 69.9 billion part of which is supposed to
be filled by inner sources.
The relation of GDP-taxes will hopefully be reduced to 15.1 per
cent. Asked what is the GDP-tax correlation and is there a difference
compared to previous years, Pavel Safarian said that this index does
not differ much from the revenue index.
Deputy minister informed that the budget of 2006 will increase the
salaries of teachers and workers of the educational sphere by 10.000
dram. The money for education will surpass last year’s budget by 8
billion and by 6.7 billion for healthcare. The employees of hospitals
and outpatients will also receive higher salaries. As for the workers
of the cultural sphere they will mark 19 per cent increase in their
monthly earnings.
The average family relief payments will boost from 12.000 to
15.000. The average pension will grow by 1.500 drams. The minimal
salary in the republic will rise from 13.000 to 15.000.
Armenia’s military expenditure for the next year will rise by 13
billion.
The deputy minister considered it natural that the government assigns
more money for the military sphere. Asked what is the overall allotment
to the military sector and whether it is not worrying that Azerbaijan
increases its military expenditure year by year, Safarian said that
the army will get $150 million. In regard to neighboring country’s
intensions, deputy minister gave a rather neutral answer saying that
every state strives to increase allotments for its security.