YEREVAN. – Expenditures for maintaining Armenian embassies abroad will increase by 11 percent, in 2012, and constitute 6.6 billion drams (US$ 17,186,850), Finance Minister Pavel Safaryan on Thursday stated during the budget hearings in the National Assembly.    

And MFA’s total funding will be 9.5 billion drams (approx. $25 million).

In his turn, FM Edward Nalbandian noted that the increase in allocations to the embassies is connected with the opening of Armenian embassies in Lithuania and Denmark. Furthermore, secretaries on working with the Diaspora will be employed at Armenia’s diplomatic representations in Moscow, Paris, Los Angeles, and Beirut.   

In addition, 1.3 billion drams ($3,385,288) will be allocated as Armenia’s membership fees to international organizations.