ArmInfo.In 2002, ensuring national security remained a key challenge for Armenia's government, Armenia's Premier Nikol Pashinyan told a press conference on March 14.
A 2022 government activity report, which is part of the 2021-2026 government programme, was submitted to Armenia's Parliament on February 29, 2023. This all-important document will be thoroughly discussed, but the premier decided to tell mass media about it.
"Growing geopolitical instability, uncertain and tense world order, international security tensions are factors pose even graver threats to national security," Mr Pashinyan said.
Since Azerbaijan's aggression against Armenia on September 13, 2022, part of Armenia's sovereign territory has remained occupied. The threat of a new aggression, unsettled Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Azerbaijani military incursion into the responsibility zone of the Russian peacekeeping forces, Azerbaijan- enforced blockade on the Lachin corridor did not allow Armenia's government to focus on the development agenda. However, last year saw large-scale reforms.
Specifically, last year Armenia recorded an unprecedented GDP growth, 12.6%. The country's tax revenues totaled AMD 1,926bln, AMD 768bln or $2.020bln (66.3%) more as against 2017, AMD 670bln or $1.82bln (53%) more as against 2018.
The period under review saw a steady increase in the number of officially registered employees, which set a record last December by reaching 704,000. This means that a total of 156,431 jobs have been created in Armenia since May 2018. Last year, 13% unemployment was recorded in Armenia as against 19% in 2018. In the third quarter of 2022, 11.6% unemployment was recorded in Armenia, the lowest over the past 14 years.
Last year, under the mortgage lending programme, income taxes totaling AMD 36.5bln were reimbursed to individuals, AMD 31.8bln or 680% more as against 2018. The programme beneficiaries numbered 29,197, 25,176 or 627% more as against 2018.
Armenia's premier also emphasized reforms in Armenia's armed forces, education and sciences systems, energy and transport sectors, human rights protection, judicial, state and local government reforms.
Armenia's government continued implementing a balanced foreign policy. "However, the issue of ensuring Armenia's national security remains unsettled. We believe we must not settle this issue 'at a stroke'. It requires a thorough international, regional politico-military analysis and further relevant steps," Mr Pashinyan said.
Armenia's government is well aware of both the risks and opportunities of the present situation.
"And our task is to manage risks and take up opportunities," Armenia's premier said.