Iravunk: Ministers Personally Requested Pay Raises from Pashinyan

Iravunk newspaper reports that Prime Minister Pashinyan's secret directive regarding the pay raises for ministers, under which executive representatives have been receiving a salary of 1.5 million drams for several months, has caused significant uproar. The government, which has adopted an open and transparent policy, has effectively concealed from the proud and dignified citizens of Armenia how much the salaries of the 'ministers of the people's heart' have increased.

According to the newspaper's information, the ministers have personally approached Pashinyan regarding the issue of salary increases, and he has complied with their request. “I believe there has been a demand from the ministers for salary increases, because some have rejected salaries in the millions and agreed to work for 650,000 to 700,000 drams. Yes, that is also a significant amount in the context of Armenia, but can you imagine their workload and the breadth of their sectors? Each one leads an institution and makes complex decisions on a daily basis,” said a source close to the newspaper.

The source emphasized that ministers should be compensated well enough so that they do not have to think about other matters, such as business or careers. He stressed that for ministers to dedicate themselves to sector management in a 7-day and 24-hour regime, the state must be ready to meet their social needs. “If a minister is concerned about paying a mortgage or has other social issues, it is natural that they will seek to occupy themselves with other matters,” he noted. More details can be found in today’s edition of the newspaper.