YEREVAN. – The Soviet economy was a little different from the current economic model of Armenia, and besides, the Armenian scientific mind worked for the needs of not only Armenia, but the entire Soviet Union, with its many republics. Armenian Minister of Finance Atom Janjughazyan said this at a joint sitting of parliamentary standing committees during the discussion of the draft state budget for 2020, and answering the questions of the deputies on whether the funds to be allocated by the government will be enough to carry out a scientific and educational revolution in Armenia in 2020.

In particular, opposition Prosperous Armenia faction MP Mikayel Melkumyan drew a parallel between the Soviet and modern education systems, which the Minister of Finance considered unnecessary for a number of reasons. "I am not trying to justify, but we can also now discuss the possibility of working in this field, for example, to meet the needs of the world market," Janjughazyan said, adding that taking into account all available opportunities, as well as the needs and requirements, the government funds to be allocated need to be sufficient.

It should be reminded that the lion's share—slightly more than 145 billion drams—of the funds to be allocated to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport in 2020 will go to education, but the authorities have decided to reduce funding for the cultural sector.