Wednesday, December 22 2021 11:55

ArmInfo.The military budget of Armenia for 2022 can be described in one word - inertial, MP from the opposition "I Have Honor" faction, former adviser to the  President of Artsakh on defense issues Tigran Abrahamyan said.

The MP stated that it has been a month since Armenia has a new  Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, the fourth after the war.

"David Tonoyan has been detained, Vagharshak Harutyunyan has  ambitions to switch to diplomatic work, nothing is known about Arshak  Karapetyan, and no one knows about the activities of the current  minister and his priorities. Armenia has a new defense minister for  more than a month, but, as in the case of the two previous ones,  Papikyan continues to remain silent, "the oppositionist said on his  Facebook page.

Paying attention to the fact that he did not agree with the  overwhelming majority of the initiatives of former RA Minister David  Tonoyan, the oppositionist states that he considers his actions after  the war unacceptable. According to Abrahamyan, Tonoyan's real work  was dominated by PR campaigns,but at least there was some kind of  publicity, good or bad another issue, but there was at least some  idea of his activities and programs.

At the same time, the MP noted that today very little is known about  Papikyan's activities as Minister of Defense, and even then only from  official releases about several meetings, and it is not yet clear  what he thinks about restoring the system he heads, eliminating the  consequences of the war and modernizing the army. 

"The military budget for 2022 can be described in one word -  inertial. I got the impression that neither the Defense Minister, nor  the Chief of the General Staff, and especially Pashinyan (RA Prime  Minister - ed.  note), do not know where to start and where to move.  In general, Pashinyan's activities after 2018 were aimed at  destroying the security system and all his initiatives not only  failed, but also wiped out what had been created for decades.  Pashinyan continues to destroy systems in which all the forces and  figures involved, regardless of personal and professional qualities,  the circumstances of getting into the ruling team, will be  responsible for all his actions, for done and not done, "he summed  up.

So, according to the draft law "On the state budget of the Republic  of Armenia for 2022", approved at a government meeting on September  30, the financial authorities plan to allocate 15.8% of the  expenditure part of the state budget to the defense sector. According  to the data included in the draft budget, defense spending in 2022  will grow by 11% or by 33 billion drams, amounting to more than 345.4  billion drams.  (about $ 725 million). "We will consistently move  towards the creation of a professional army, but we will do it with  smooth, thoughtful steps, increasing the attractiveness of military  service," said the head of the Armenian government Nikol Pashinyan,  presenting the draft budget to the parliament. In particular, in  2022, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia will direct  funding for the implementation of five programs, for which only 345.4  billion drams (345 420.8 million drams) are provided in the draft  state budget, while 222 884.8 million drams or 64.5% of funds will be  spent on current expenses, and from non- financial assets - 122 535.9  million drams or 35.5%. Expenditures will increase by AMD 33,726.7  million or 10.8% compared to the approved RA state budget for 2021.

The lion's share of funding will be directed to the maintenance of  the RA Armed Forces, ensuring the combat capability and life support  of the army - more than 340 billion drams (340 569.3 million drams,  which is 34 087.8 million drams or 11.1% more than the amount  approved by the RA state budget for 2021). It is planned to allocate  2 billion 635.4 million drams from the budget for military medical  services, which is 199.8 million drams less than the amount approved  by the state budget for the current year.  1,129.8 million drams will  be allocated for the supply of modern medical equipment to the  central garrison military hospitals. 1,029.1 million drams will be  allocated for military training and retraining. 317.6 million drams  are provided for humanitarian demining and expert services programs,  which is 21.4 million drams less than the funding approved by the RA  state budget for 2021.