Finance minister doesn’t rule out wage, pension increase in 2019 budget

YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS. Finance minister Atom Janjughazyan doesn’t clarify whether or not the 2019 budget will include salary and pension raise.

Asked by reporters today ahead of the Cabinet meeting whether the next year’s budget will be based on an increase of wages and pensions, the minister replied : “There are no significant differences yet from the recently approved midterm spending plan in the version which is under discussion”.

He advised to take a look at the midterm spending plan and the main expected indicators for 2019. “I recommend you to study the documents,” he said when asked whether or not social spending will increase.

Regarding the increase of defense spending, the finance minister said it is a reasonable increase related to the GDP.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan