The Armenian government has put into circulation the bill on making changes in the Armenian law on the structure of the government and its activity which proposes cutting the number of ministries from existing 17 to 12.
The government proposes to have the following ministries:
Labor and Social Affairs Ministry
Health Ministry
Justice Ministry
Emergency Situations Ministry
Foreign Affairs Ministry
Nature Protection Ministry
Education, Science, Culture and Sport Ministry
Defense Ministry
Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Ministry
High Technology and Military Industry Ministry
Economic Development and Agricultural Ministry
Finance Ministry.
The post of first deputy PM is being withdrawn. The PM will have two deputies.
According to the bill, territorial administration and development ministry, state property management committee, water committee unite with energy infrastructures and natural resources ministry. In its turn energy infrastructures and natural resources ministry renames into territorial administration and infrastructures ministry.
Culture, education and science and sport and youth affairs ministries will become one ministry.
Agriculture ministry unites with economic development and investments ministry and will be named economic development and agricultural ministry.
Military industrial committee unites with Transport, Communication and IT ministry and will be named high technology and military-industry ministry.
According to the bill, the Diaspora ministry stops functioning.
If adopted, the bill will enter into force from January 1, 2019. The bill has not been put for wide discussion yet. It is expected to be discussed at the first session of the new parliament on January 14.