YEREVAN. – According to the data of the first half of this year, the GDP growth was 8.3%, whereas we have a worse “picture” in terms of nine months.

Acting Minister of Finance Atom Janjughazyan on Tuesday stated the above-said at the National Assembly of Armenia, during the debates on the 2019 State Budget draft. In his words, this is due to the agriculture sector, which has had no major impact on the budget.

Janjughazyan said it is projected that the GDP growth in the country will be 5 to 6 percent in 2018, whereas a 4.9% economic growth is forecast for the coming year.

As per the acting finance minister, the taxes/GDP ratio will make up 20.3% in the current year, and 20.7 %—in 2019.

Also, he noted that the payment of national debt will total AMD 357 billion next year, and from which the payment of external loans will be AMD 143 billion.

“The national debt interest payments/GDP ratio will be 2.3%, whereas the debt interest payments’ percentage in public spending will make 9.6% in 2019,” Atom Janjughazyan added. “The national debt [will be] 50.6% in 2018, whereas in 2019, it is expected that it will make 49.7% of the GDP. In 2019, the national debt [of Armenia] will make 6 billion and 950 million dollars.”