Anti-Corruption National Initiative
ANTI-CORRUPTIONNATIONALINITIATIVE

Edgar Ghazaryan on the Government’s $80 Million in Unplanned Spending and Pension Increases Ahead of the Elections

During the discussion of the 2027 state budget in the National Assembly, MP Edgar Ghazaryan demanded that a representative of the Ministry of Finance explain on what legal and economic basis the government had allocated around $80 million for pension increases without having planned this expenditure in advance in the budget or discussing it with the National Assembly.

Ghazaryan recalled that during the previous year’s budget discussions, government representatives had repeatedly stated that there was no financial possibility to increase pensions. Moreover, those making such demands were accused of spreading rhetoric about a hybrid war against the Armenian government. However, just three months before the elections, the government made additional payments to pensioners in three stages, the latest just days before the elections. According to the MP, the money directed to around 500,000 beneficiaries effectively served to secure voters’ support for the Civil Contract Party (CP), becoming an electoral bribe.

The representative of the Ministry of Finance explained that the budget had been prepared based on September 2025 forecasts, while tax revenues and economic growth subsequently turned out to be higher than expected. According to him, an expectation of an additional AMD 45–50 billion in revenues had formed for 2026, and the law allows the government to independently decide how additional revenues are to be spent. He also noted that the additional pension payments would continue.

Ghazaryan countered that the inaccuracy of the government’s and the Central Bank’s forecasts also calls into question the reliability of the current economic calculations. He emphasized that the use of state funds for political purposes should also be of interest to the Prosecutor’s Office, considering the timing of the payments made to pensioners before the elections and the large number of beneficiaries.

The discussion ended with a proposal from the ministry’s representative: if Ghazaryan could provide a more accurate economic forecast, he would be prepared to resign, while otherwise the MP should stop his criticism. However, the debate did not produce a clear answer to the main question: why was the decision to spend around $80 million in state funds not reflected in the budget in advance, and how was parliamentary oversight of that decision ensured?

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