A regular Cabinet meeting took place today, chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The Government adopted a decision on making amendments and additions to the “Law of the Republic of Armenia on State Budget 2022” and its corresponding decision, allocating 728,887.0 thousand AMD to the regional administrations of Ararat, Armavir, Lori and Tavush Provinces. The decision is aimed at the effective implementation of subsidy programs in the communities of Armenia in 2021-2022. Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan, presenting the issue, reported that it is about 14 projects of 9 communities, 9 of which are projects planned for 2022. The financial resources will be shared between 4 provinces: Ararat Province: 30 million AMD, 1 project, Armavir Province: 4 projects, 164 million AMD, Lori Province: 6 projects, 179 million AMD, Tavush Province: 3 projects, 354 million AMD. According to the Minister, the projects are either completed or in the final stages. In general, the Government has already allocated 10 billion 440 million AMD for 361 projects, including the mentioned decision.

The Prime Minister referred to the statistics related to subsidy programs. "Actually, in the 2023 budget, we plan to allocate approximately 22 billion AMD for subsidy programs. It turns out that compared to 2018, we are increasing the budgeting volume of subsidy programs almost tenfold. I also want to say that in 2018 we allocated 2.5 billion AMD, in 2019 - 6.4 billion AMD, in 2020 - 14 billion AMD, in 2021 - 12.3 billion AMD, 18 billion AMD is planned in the 2022 budget. Now we can say for sure that with the results of this year, we have certainly invested 100 million USD in regions in 4 years, which is extremely important. We should develop this tool as much as possible, but also, on the other hand, make it as effective as possible."

The Government decided to make redistribution, changes and additions to the “Law of the Republic of Armenia on the State Budget 2022" and amendments and additions in another of its decisions. According to the decision, 62,098.3 thousand AMD will be redistributed within the framework of the output programs provided for in the 2022 budget of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport for the purpose of building modular educational complexes in the regions, and 139,780.4 thousand AMD will be directed to the Government's reserve fund.

Referring to the decision, Prime Minister Pashinyan noted. "We have discussed this topic several times, including at the Cabinet meeting. The idea was this: you know, unfortunately, there's been a problem in Armenia for a long time where schools in rural areas are essentially losing students and gmoving in the direction of closure. We also have a political task to make education available in all the settlements of the republic. We have the task of building, overhauling or reconstructing 300 schools and 500 kindergartens by 2026. Now, in this context, the question arises, what should we do in those settlements where there is no enough students in schools. While discussing this idea, we came to the conclusion that we should build educational complexes, which will be intended for the children of several settlements. Moreover, these educational complexes will include, as necessary, both a school and a kindergarten component. In Syunik Province, we decided that the 53 educational complexes will solve the problems we raised, and with this decision, we concentrate our activities in the enlarged Kapan community."

The Government adopted a decision on making redistribution, amendments and additions to the “Law of the Republic of Armenia on State Budget 2022" and in its corresponding decision, by which it is planned to make a redistribution of the funds allocated for capital projects of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports in the 2022 state budget in the amount of 79,938.1 thousand AMD, of which 68,881.4 thousand AMD to be directed to the reserve fund of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. The redistribution is done for the purpose of restoration of monuments, for the repair of the outer wall of the northern depository of the Saint Astvatsatsin Church of Bjni and the western wall and towers of the Haghpat monastery complex.

The Head of the Government noted that the Haghpat monastery complex is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites, and, naturally, the restoration and repair of all historical and cultural monuments is a work of special significance. "Restoration and repair should take place in a way not damaging the monument. That's why you mentioned in your speech, I also understood that, in addition to the project, there is also a scientific part - scientific project works, and we must carry out these works."

Amending one of its previous decisions, the Government established a procedure for submission and receipt of permit documents electronically through the “One Stop, One Window” system.