YEREVAN. – For 2014, the maintenance costs of Armenia’s embassies and representations are planned at around 7.8 billion drams, which exceed the 2013 level by 210.5 million drams, states the 2014 draft state budget.  

To note, in line with the current exchange rate, USD 1 is equivalent to approximately AMD 408.

The cost increase is due to additional allocations in connection with the embassy and the representation being opened in Sweden and in The Vatican, the appointment of Armenia’s representative to the Permanent Council of La Francophonie, and the reimbursement for the seven-month expenses—for 2014—of Armenia’s representative at the European Court of Human Rights.    

Also, additional amounts are allocated associated with changes, as compared to the 2013 calculations, in the 2014 calculations of the exchange rates of the currency being used.