The salaries of civil servants in Armenia will be increased, whereas the bonuses will be reduced. Minister of Finance Tigran Khachatryan said this in the National Assembly, at Monday’s joint session of parliamentary standing committees, during the debates on the draft 2023 state budget.

According to the head of the Ministry of Finance, until 2019, the bonus fund in all government departments in Armenia had made up about 10 percent of the payroll; moreover, in 2019, another 20 percent was added to this 10 percent. Thus, the government now wants to reduce this bonus fund from 30 percent to just 16 percent of the payroll.

"On what principle the bonuses will be distributed will be decided by the end of the current year," added Khachatryan.

However, as the minister of finance noted, there is no final decision on this matter yet. It is only known that the base rate by which Armenia officials' salaries are calculated—and depending on the position and length of service—will be increased from 66,140 drams to 82,000 drams. And a part of the bonus fund will also be used in order to raise salaries.

"In general, in 2023, the payroll of [Armenia’s] civil servants will be increased by 21 billion drams; that is, by 7 to 8 percent," explained the finance minister.