VIDEO: Urikhanyan Forces PM to Apologize

Member of the Prosperous Armenia Party Tigran Urikhanyan forced the Prime Minister to apologize.

Urikhanyan specifically stated that this year Armenia must service a state debt accumulation of over $400 million, and next year over $800 million, while the state budget of Armenia is just over $3 billion. He questioned what consequences this could have for the state if debt deferral is not achieved. Could Armenia face the threat of default, or could real estate prices decrease?

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan responded with a smile, stating he does not understand why the question was posed so sadly.

“It is clear that this is not news, it is clear that all this is envisaged in the medium-term program, in the budget program. No, any threat you mentioned cannot threaten Armenia. No, real estate prices will not decrease; they will rather increase. Budget revenues will not decrease; they will increase. This year, we will collect at least 40 billion drams more in the budget,” announced Pashinyan, adding that various estimates indicate there is up to 50 percent shadow economy in Armenia.

Pashinyan pointed out that various corrupt schemes operate using these shadow funds. In response, Urikhanyan said, “The regulations do not regulate the tones of the voices of MPs. We have to repay a debt amounting to half of the budget; is that not a cause for sadness? I have asked sad questions to all authorities.”

Nikol Pashinyan then apologized to Urikhanyan: “If you found anything inappropriate in my words, I had no such intention. I just wanted to change your mood.”

Watch the video on News.am.