YEREVAN. – National debt of the Republic of Armenia (RA) amounted to 4 billion 723 million US dollars as of July 31 this year, reported Haykakan Zhamanak daily.

“Our national debt has grown by more than 42.5 million dollars, as compared to June 30, and by 281 million dollars, since the beginning of the year.

“According to the state budget plan, the national debt was to amount to 4.1 billion dollars at the end of this year. In fact, the RA authorities have exceeded the national debt ‘plan’ by close to 14 percent. Moreover, this is with only the half-year indicator. The plan will exceeded by 20-25 percent by the year’s end.

“The main reason for the [RA] national debt was the growth in external debt, which increased by 240 million dollars since the beginning of the year, and passed the 4-billion[-dollar] limit for the first time in the RA history making up 4 billion 24 million dollars,” wrote Haykakan Zhamanak.