ArmInfo. Social packages for civil servants will be eliminated due to the effectiveness of various reforms. Armenian Minister of Labor and Welfare Arsen Torosyan announced this in an interview with journalists on October 1.
He recalled that social packages were introduced in 2012-2013 as compensation for low wages in the public sector. Under this program, Torosyan noted, citizens were able to pay for certain services, including healthcare, recreation, sports, and education. "However, we see that in recent years, all citizens who had a social package, as a result of the various reforms we have implemented, have received both a salary increase and greater opportunities to cover medical expenses thanks to the introduction of a health insurance system. "In this regard, the time has come to end the provision of this service to our citizens, as it has fulfilled its intended purpose," Torosyan stated.
He also clarified that citizens currently receiving social benefits will continue to use the funds in their accounts. According to him, approximately 13 billion drams have accumulated in banks. "The Armenian government will determine the spending of these funds by an appropriate decision. Most likely, they will not differ significantly from those currently in effect. However, discussions on this issue are ongoing, and no final decision has been made yet," Torosyan concluded.
As a reminder, Armenia had social benefit programs available to civil servants, particularly for leisure. The state budget for social benefits (excluding the medical care component) allocated approximately 10 billion drams. A social package of 132,000 drams per year was provided to civil servants and included several mandatory components: coverage of healthcare expenses, mortgage interest coverage, tuition fees at universities, and vacations at Armenian resorts. Since 2021, the list of services provided under the social package has been expanded to include access to sports complexes and swimming pools.
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