Thursday, April 18 2019 11:21

ArmInfo.The National Assembly of Armenia at its April 18 meeting in the first reading amended the law on the structure and activities of the government. "71 MPs voted  for the adoption of the document, 40 against.

A day earlier, RA Justice Minister Artak Zeynalyan, introducing the  document, noted that the main goal of reforming the law "On the  structure and activities of the government" and in a package of  related laws is the formation of an optimal structure that will  enable to best ensure the activities of the cabinet of ministers by  implementing the government's program and policies emanating from it.  According to him, the executive body is confident that with the  presented structure it will be able to implement the government  program. The development of a package of documents was preceded by  numerous discussions, situation analyzes, study of of experience. It  is envisaged, in particular, to keep the posts of two deputy prime  ministers instead of three deputy prime ministers, in particular, the  position of first deputy prime minister is cut. Of the 18 ministries,  12 will remain.

For example, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, the Ministry  of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Science are united in one  structure - the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.  The Ministry of Agriculture unites with the Ministry of Economy into  one single organization - the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of  Armenia. The Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources  unites with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and  Development into a single structure - the Ministry of Territorial  Administration and Infrastructures. The functions of this department  will also include all issues related to transport. The new department  will include a water management committee, a civil aviation committee  and a state property management committee. The Ministry of Transport,  Communications and Information Technology will be renamed the  Ministry of High-Tech Industry with the exception of  transport-related functions and the inclusion of functions related to  the digital economy and the military- industrial complex. In the  future, it is planned that the functions of the committee of the  military-industrial complex will fall to this state structure.  Instead of the Ministry of Diaspora, the institute of the High  Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs under the office of the Prime  Minister will be established. It is envisaged that the employees will  continue to work the established units in the new departments, except  for political and conceptual posts, as well as posts that overlap. It  is planned that 60-70 conceptual posts will be reduced - deputy  ministers and heads of departments. In addition, when transferring a  civil servant from one department to another, it is possible that he  will be demoted or less paid. If such conditions are not accepted,  the civil servant will be transferred to the reserve. Thus, as noted  by Artak Zeynalyan, the following departments will operate in the  public administration system: 1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2.   Ministry of Defense 3. Ministry of Emergency Situations 4. Ministry  of Justice 5. Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs 6. Ministry of  Education, Science and Culture 7. Ministry of Nature Protection 8.  Ministry of Health 9. Ministry of Finance 10. Ministry of Economy 11.  Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures 12.  Ministry of High Technologies Industry .

Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that the main goal of  reforms in the system is to increase management efficiency. At the  same time, there will be no personnel pogroms, but priority will be  given to the best highly professional workers. "Yes, there will be  reductions, but they will be carried out in an evolutionary way, and  each employee will get his chance," the head of government stressed,  also pointing out the importance of a balanced and objective approach  in dealing with personnel issues. He added that today's decision is  of an interim nature, and in the future some changes are not  excluded.