ArmInfo. In Armenia, the issue of acquiring a new aircraft for RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is being discussed. This was announced at a budget hearing in parliamentary commissions on October 30 by the head of the RA Prime Minister's office, Eduard Aghajanyan, answering a question from the NA MP Ani Samsosyan about the use by the head of government of an expensive airliner when traveling to the USA on September 21 this year.
As the head of the government's apparatus noted, the Prime Minister used a private airline's aircraft, since the resources of the Prime Minister's existing aircraft were limited, he could not cross the ocean. To install additional fuel tanks would require significant financial resources. In addition, continued Aghajanyan, the Armenian pilots are not certified for transatlantic flights. Based on all these factors, a private airline plane was involved. The head of the staff stated that the current plane of the head of government is outdated and does not meet a number of standards. In addition, he spends much more fuel. In this regard, the possibility of acquiring a new modern airliner is being discussed, thanks to which all these problems will be solved.
It should be noted that according to the Armenian media, on September 21, the Prime Minister went on a charter flight to the United States on a super-expensive Gulfstream G550 airliner from Shirak airport in Gyumri, as a result of which the state budget decreased by $ 340 thousand.
Meanwhile, according to yesterday's information from "Hetq" (Track), the current prime minister's A-319 business jet, previously owned by a large Arab entrepreneur, repeatedly crossed the ocean without experiencing any problems. Earlier, Prime Minister's spokesman Vladimir Karapetyan noted that the total cost of the visit was 165 million drams (over $ 340 thousand), but this was an objective necessity, taking into account the schedule of the visit. According to the spokesperson, in just one day, Pashinyan held over a dozen meetings and events, which the public was duly informed about. "Without the organization of a special flight, an important working visit of the Prime Minister of Armenia to the USA with such a busy schedule and in the shortest possible time would be impossible. In addition, the Prime Minister could not help taking part in the celebrations held in Armenia on the occasion of Independence Day on September 21, including the "Hero of Our Time", award ceremony, Karapetyan notes.