On May 22, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan's press conference was held in the Government, in which more than 4 dozen mass media representatives participated.

Before answering the questions of media representatives, the Prime Minister made an opening speech, in which, in particular, he stated:

"Good day, dear representatives of mass media,

I welcome you and before I answer your questions, I would like to make a few observations.

In the near future, discussions of the 2022 state budget implementation report will begin in the National Assembly. At this moment, I will mention only a few facts related to the topic.

The actual tax revenues of the 2022 state budget amounted to 1 trillion 926 billion AMD. This is the amount that was actually entered into the state budget. This is about 82 billion AMD or 4 percent more than planned at the time of the adoption of the law "On the State Budget of 2022". The tax revenues of the 2022 state budget exceeded the same indicator of 2017 by 768 billion AMD or 66.3 percent. And capital expenditures in 2022 compared to 2017 were by 150 billion AMD or 163 percent more.

As you know, in 2021-2022, the Government of Armenia acquired a 21.8 percent share in the "Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine", and due to this circumstance, it participates in the management of the combine starting from the end of 2021. In 2022, "Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine" paid a historically unprecedented high amount of taxes - 145 billion 636 million AMD. This is about 7 billion AMD more than the taxes paid by ZCMC in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 combined. In other words, more taxes were paid than the sum of taxes paid during all those years.

According to the data of the first 4 months of 2023, Armenia continues to remain in the dynamics of high economic growth, which is also expressed by the cash flows to the state budget. In the first 4 months of 2023, more tax revenue was was collected than in the entire years of 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 seperately and approximately as much as in 2011. I repeat, the comparison is about the full data of the first four months of this year and the entire years mentioned above.

State budget revenues are of key importance for solving all the country's problems, including security, human capital development. And again, I want to thank the people, businessmen, companies, investors, public and private sector workers who ensure the revenues for the state budget.

Dear journalists,

the military-political situation in our region remains tense. The Government of the Republic of Armenia considers the promotion of the peace agenda as the primary method to overcome this tension. The treaty on peace and establishment of relations with Azerbaijan is being intensively negotiated, and we hope to reach an agreement on the text and sign it as soon as possible.

The perception of the international community is increasingly leaning towards the idea that Armenia and Azerbaijan, without reservations, should recognize each other's territorial integrity of 29,800 square kilometers and 86,600 square kilometers, respectively, and a dialogue must take place between Baku and Stepanakert aimed at ensuring the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.

We agree with this logic and conduct the negotiations with this logic, emphasizing that the international mechanisms for guaranteeing the Stepanakert-Baku dialogue are extremely important. At the same time, I am convinced that the strategic guarantee of Armenia's security is peace, which is possible by regulating relations with all neighbors. This is not an easy process at all, but I think it is what our people want and expect.

The economic and budgetary indicators mentioned above, I think, are also the reaction of the public and the economy to the peace agenda adopted by our Government. Tens of thousands, including young families, who are in a hurry to take advantage of the opportunities and buy apartments in the Republic of Armenia, are responding to that agenda. Let me remind you that at the moment the process of construction of 55,000 apartments is underway in our country.

11,926 children were born in Armenia during the first four months of 2023, which is 1,401 more than in the first four months of 2022, 532 more than in the first four months of 2021, it is 1469 more than in the first four months of 2020, it is 1415 more than in the first four months of 2019, it is 1180 more than in the first four months of 2018. I perceive these figures as a message addressed to the Government by the citizens, which are not often heard from the rostrums, but are of crucial importance. And our future policies will be based on these messages.

Thank you."

Nikol Pashinyan answered numerous questions of media representatives.