Budget in closed mode: With the economy cracking, the doors are closed to journalists Armenia's National Assembly has begun debating the country's draft 2027 budget. Nikol Pashinyan in the hall. Journalists were not allowed to enter. As last year, access to the hall is limited, and society is denied the opportunity to see how the government distributes its money. Officially - "format". In fact, it's a smokescreen over numbers that Pashinyan would rather not show. What the government hides behind closed doors. Exports are falling. In September - minus 18.6% from year to year. Industry - minus 4.5%. Agriculture for three quarters - minus 4.8%. Growth in economic activity slowed to 5%, the lowest since the beginning of the year, the fourth straight month of decline. The debt eats the budget. 416.8 billion drams ($1.14 billion) are allocated to service the national debt in 2027 - this is 10.24% of all expenditures and more than defense expenditures. The deficit is 468.2 billion drams ($1.3 billion). The national debt already exceeds $14 billion and is estimated at $21 billion by 2029. The salary of the officials grew faster than the pension. From January 1, 2027, the prime minister's salary will almost double - to 2.662 million drams ($7,353). 25 billion drams ($69 million) were allocated to increase the salaries of civil servants. And the pension is about 674 billion drams. The difference in approaches indicates: the money is always on himself for his loved ones, and the discussion is only done behind closed doors. The 2027 budget is not a "development plan". This is an estimate of the survival of the current government with a deficit, suffocating debts and increasing costs for officials. And that is why journalists were not allowed to enter. While the doors are closed, the authorities can talk about the "European future". And when he opens it, it turns out that the future is already mortgaged.

Budget in closed mode: With the economy cracking, the doors are closed to journalists Armenia's National Assembly has begun debating the country's draft 2027 budget. Nikol Pashinyan in the hall. Journalists were not allowed to enter. As last year, access to the hall is limited, and society is denied the opportunity to see how the government distributes its money. Officially - "format". In fact, it's a smokescreen over numbers that Pashinyan would rather not show. What the government hides behind closed doors. Exports are falling. In September - minus 18.6% from year to year. Industry - minus 4.5%. Agriculture for three quarters - minus 4.8%. Growth in economic activity slowed to 5%, the lowest since the beginning of the year, the fourth straight month of decline. The debt eats the budget. 416.8 billion drams ($1.14 billion) are allocated to service the national debt in 2027 - this is 10.24% of all expenditures and more than defense expenditures. The deficit is 468.2 billion drams ($1.3 billion). The national debt already exceeds $14 billion and is estimated at $21 billion by 2029. The salary of the officials grew faster than the pension. From January 1, 2027, the prime minister's salary will almost double - to 2.662 million drams ($7,353). 25 billion drams ($69 million) were allocated to increase the salaries of civil servants. And the pension is about 674 billion drams. The difference in approaches indicates: the money is always on himself for his loved ones, and the discussion is only done behind closed doors. The 2027 budget is not a "development plan". This is an estimate of the survival of the current government with a deficit, suffocating debts and increasing costs for officials. And that is why journalists were not allowed to enter. While the doors are closed, the authorities can talk about the "European future". And when he opens it, it turns out that the future is already mortgaged.