YEREVAN. – We have given unlimited power to local self-government bodies, and no body is protected as much by the law as these bodies. 

The Minister of Territorial Administration and Development of Armenia, Davit Lokyan, on Friday noted the abovementioned at a conference on local democracy in, and the new decentralization agenda of, the country.

In his words, local self-government bodies in Armenia can make independent decisions, spend their funds on their own, and provide jobs in communities. 

“Local authorities [in Armenia] have been approved and established over the past 21 years,” the minister said.

But Lokyan added that, nonetheless, the system of local authorities has numerous shortcomings.

He pledged, however, that as a result of respective reforms, Armenia will have strong territorial governance.