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MONEY MATTERS: CONTRADICTIONS, CONFUSION ARISE OVER STATE BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR INCREASE OF GOVERNMENT SALARIES
Economy | 10.10.13 | 16:45
NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
The State Budget for 2014 provides for a raise of wages for employees
of legislative, executive and judicial public administration, implying
48.5 billion ($118.2 million) allotment, which exceeds last year's
allotment by 9.3 billion drams ($22 million).
The government-submitted-bill on Wages of Civil Servants lies in
the basis of the projected raise, and high-ranking officials are to
benefit the most form it. The draft law defines a single system for
state officials, who will have certain coefficient to be multiplied
by the base salary to produce the main salary.
The President has the highest coefficient of 20, followed by the
Speaker of Parliament and the Prime Minister (18), next come chairman
of Constitutional Court (16) and National Security Council Secretary
(15.5); deputy premier, prosecutor general, chairmen of the Court of
Cassation and the Control Chamber, as well as the Ombudsman (15).
Nonetheless, President Serzh Sargsyan made a statement in late August
at the Ministry of Education and Science that wages would double since
January 1, 2014, while Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan announced that
the raise would come in July and only by 40 percent. The contradiction
has stirred controversy stirring confusion and discussions among
political circles.
"How did it happen that the president's and the prime minister's
statements contradict one another?" Armenian Revolutionary Federation
MP Aghvan Vardanyan raised a question at the parliament.
"The salary issue is in the constant government focus. There will be
certain raise in wages since January 2014, but more tangible raises
will come in July, 2014, I concord with the deadline set by the
president," says government Chief of Staff Vache Gabrielyan.
In reference to the controversy between the president's and premier's
statements, 168 Hours newspaper writes: "Those were the times when
nobody could have imagined that Armenia might ruin the Association
Agreement inking negotiations with the EU and enter the Customs Union.
And the inking was to be followed by the EU-promised meeting of donors,
and as a result Armenia would be granted, by the same EU commitment,
1-1.5 billion Euros' worth of financial support."
Ruling Republican Party of Armenia member Galust Sahakyan offered his
explanation: "We were certain that we would have a respective budget
and such economic developments that would enable us to raise the
wages as soon as possible, but we have repeatedly voiced the economic
failures and challenges all around the world. The prime minister will
give a more substantial response to the issue at the parliament."
http://armenianow.com/economy/49115/armenia_government_salary_raise_state_budget
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Economy | 10.10.13 | 16:45
NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
The State Budget for 2014 provides for a raise of wages for employees
of legislative, executive and judicial public administration, implying
48.5 billion ($118.2 million) allotment, which exceeds last year's
allotment by 9.3 billion drams ($22 million).
The government-submitted-bill on Wages of Civil Servants lies in
the basis of the projected raise, and high-ranking officials are to
benefit the most form it. The draft law defines a single system for
state officials, who will have certain coefficient to be multiplied
by the base salary to produce the main salary.
The President has the highest coefficient of 20, followed by the
Speaker of Parliament and the Prime Minister (18), next come chairman
of Constitutional Court (16) and National Security Council Secretary
(15.5); deputy premier, prosecutor general, chairmen of the Court of
Cassation and the Control Chamber, as well as the Ombudsman (15).
Nonetheless, President Serzh Sargsyan made a statement in late August
at the Ministry of Education and Science that wages would double since
January 1, 2014, while Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan announced that
the raise would come in July and only by 40 percent. The contradiction
has stirred controversy stirring confusion and discussions among
political circles.
"How did it happen that the president's and the prime minister's
statements contradict one another?" Armenian Revolutionary Federation
MP Aghvan Vardanyan raised a question at the parliament.
"The salary issue is in the constant government focus. There will be
certain raise in wages since January 2014, but more tangible raises
will come in July, 2014, I concord with the deadline set by the
president," says government Chief of Staff Vache Gabrielyan.
In reference to the controversy between the president's and premier's
statements, 168 Hours newspaper writes: "Those were the times when
nobody could have imagined that Armenia might ruin the Association
Agreement inking negotiations with the EU and enter the Customs Union.
And the inking was to be followed by the EU-promised meeting of donors,
and as a result Armenia would be granted, by the same EU commitment,
1-1.5 billion Euros' worth of financial support."
Ruling Republican Party of Armenia member Galust Sahakyan offered his
explanation: "We were certain that we would have a respective budget
and such economic developments that would enable us to raise the
wages as soon as possible, but we have repeatedly voiced the economic
failures and challenges all around the world. The prime minister will
give a more substantial response to the issue at the parliament."
http://armenianow.com/economy/49115/armenia_government_salary_raise_state_budget
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress