ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT RECEIVES 2009 BUDGET

The Messenger
Dec 2 2008
Georgia

The Armenian Parliament has adopted the budget for 2009. This consists
of expenditure of more than USD 3.3 billion. PM Tigran Sarkisian stated
that GDP in 2009 will reach USD 13.7 billion and growth will be 9.2%.

Next year imports will increase by 20%, reaching USD 4.3 billion,
but exports by 10%, reaching USD 1.3 billion. The negative trade
balance will be USD 3 billion. The country’s total state debt will
reach USD 2.2 billion, 16.1% of GDP. 13.1% of this is external debt.

Budget income is the nearly the same as expenditure. The deficit
comes to approximately USD 13 millions, around 1% of GDP.

Education will receive USD 416 million in funds, healthcare USD
215 million and social care USD 827 million. The average salary of
teachers will now be around USD 380 and doctors’ approximately USD 300.