“Fact” newspaper reported that Nikol Pashinyan, in his recent speech at the parliament, announced plans to hold a referendum in 2024 on the “head” concept of the presidential system. He referred to it as a “political part of the budget” or the “wages” of the government, stating that it is a “budgetary issue of historical times” for the country. However, Pashinyan’s statement is difficult to interpret. While the 2024 budget presented by his government is indeed a historical budget for the administration, it is important to note that it is more than just a budget. For the first time in the last 30 years, Armenia is not including Artsakh as part of its budget. This decision has significant implications. However, Pashinyan does not mention anything about Artsakh in his speech.

Pashinyan’s focus is primarily on the government of the Republic of Armenia, rather than the Armenian nation as a whole. The allocations for security (military organs) have increased by ten percent in his budget, while the allocations for knowledge and scientific institutions have been significantly reduced. This raises concerns about the priorities and values of the government. Pashinyan seems to rely on measures such as the gambling industry, financial presentations, migrant workers, and the exploitation of Armenians from different countries in the field of healthcare to generate additional funds for the budget. This approach has had negative consequences, including factory closures, economic collapse, and increasing national debt.

In conclusion, it is unclear what Nikol Pashinyan intends to convey with his budget proposal. Is the goal of the nation simply to become a tax haven? Can such a limited goal be pursued with a budget that primarily serves to fill pockets? The authorities need to reconsider their priorities and ensure that the budget serves the best interests of the country and its citizens, rather than just the government.