Hakob Hakobyan: No social cuts envisaged in next year's budget

PanARMENIAN.Net - "Our challenge is to maintain the level of budgetary expenditures of 2009. This means that the development of the budget is not planned for 2010. We will not be able to realise a three-percent reduction in poverty and extreme poverty. At the same time no social cuts are projected for the the budget 2010, " Hakob Hakobyan , the Chairman NA Standing Committee on Social Affairs told a meeting with journalists.



The projected growth of GDP is 1.2 per cent, which will contribute to the fulfillment of the budget plan.



Concerning the economic benefits for Armenia after opening of the Armenian-Turkish border, he said: "How long can we keep ourselves locked? After opening the Armenian-Turkish border, our government should think about promoting our products in international market. Turkey should be viewed as a short way to the European market and the Mediterranean".