May 15, a joint meeting of the Artsakh Republic National Assembly Standing Committees on Foreign Relations and on Budget, Financial and Economic Management was held chaired by the committee chairpersons Arzik Mkhitaryan and Ruslan Israelyan.

Responsible persons in the sphere of foreign affairs, tourism, the press, radio and television made reports on the execution of the state budget of the Republic of Artsakh for 2016.

Presenting the report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the execution of the state budget for 2016, Minister Karen Mirzoyan noted that in the reporting year, the budget for the maintenance of the ministry amounted to 708 million 324 thousand drams, of which 672 million 312 thousand drams or 95% of the stipulated amount were spent.

According to the report of the Deputy Minister of Economy Sergey Shahverdyan, in 2016 100 million drams were allocated for the protection of monuments, 20 million drams were allocated for the development of tourism, and 6 million drams from the reserve fund.

According to the chairman of the council of the Public Television and Radio Company of Artsakh Norek Gasparyan, in the reporting year 387 million 344 thousand drams was allocated for the company, the amount was fully spent. The company own revenues amounted to 7 million 500 thousand drams.

As the editor of "Azat Artsakh" newspaper Leonid Martirosyan noted, in 2016 the expenses for the editorial staff amounted to 85 million 604 thousand drams.

MPs asked questions to the speakers during the meeting.