30% staffers at Armenian provincial governments to be laid off

YEREVAN, MARCH 1, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia is planning to cut jobs at provincial governments to make administration more optimal and effective, Minister of Territorial Administration and Development Suren Papikyan told reporters.

“We have carried out studies and found out that 40% of staffers at provincial government’s are basically doing nothing. An average 30% of cuts will take place,” he said.

He elaborated that for instance in the Aragatsotn Province they might lay off only 28% of staffers, thus the number of staffers at the provincial government will be reduced from 121 to 87. He said the goal is solely to have more efficient governance.

“Experts who are professionals in their sectors should have the chance to work in the state administration system, and not those who at some point in time had a friend or relative,” he said, referring to cronyism practices.

Papikyan said they will soon submit a bill to parliament that will include the cuts in the staffs.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan