Armenian Parliament receives 2009 budget

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.