Epress.am News from Armenia
During discussion of the 2014 state budget in Armenia's National Assembly today, MP Alexander Arzoumanian opined that it is a "hypothetical budget" because it's not yet known whether the international loans included there will be provided to Armenia or not. The MP's concern was associated with Armenia's decision to join the Russian-led Customs Union and the wish to "whip up in a frenzy" the harmonization of Armenian legislation with the Customs Union.
"We know that our economy is more liberal and our customs duties are lower. Now we buy what we what; soon, we'll be forced to buy what they put before us. By the way, I want to congratulate all of us, that Ukraine has postponed signing the [EU] Association Agreement — it makes us save face a little bit. Calculated in your budget are anticipated European investments, but we can sure only of the funding of current programs," he said.
In response, Chair of the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Financial -Credit and Budgetary Affairs Gagik Minasyan said that the 2014 draft budget is, after all, only a draft. "Regarding the loans, I can't agree. I strongly believe that our European partners place importance not on form but on content; therefore, they won't stop funding [us] after our decision."
According to him, the constant refrain of either Customs Union or European integration (that is, the implication that they are irreconcilable) doesn't help the task at hand.