November 28, joint sitting of the Standing Committees on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sports and Budget, Financial and Economic Management of the Republic of Artsakh National Assembly was held chaired by Armen Sargsyan and Ruslan Israelyan.

The agenda of the meeting included discussion of the draft law "On the state budget of the Republic of Artsakh for 2018". The reports on expenditures were made by the Minister of Science, Education and Sports and the Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs.

Talking about the expenditures on education, science and sports, Minister Narine Aghabalyan noted that in 2018 it will make 14 billion 662 million 900 thousand drams, including the maintenance of the state apparatus. Narine Aghabalyan also pointed out that the Ministry is now conducting sectoral studies, as a result of which a new strategy is to be developed.  

Then the MPs asked the minister questions related to the improvement of the university system, the workload of primary school pupils, teachers' salaries, school meals, the return of students studying abroad, and the choice of research papers.

Minister Sergey Shahverdyan in his turn informed that the expenses in the sphere of culture, youth and tourism will make about 2bln AMD.

After presenting the sectoral programs, the Minister answered the questions raised by the parliamentarians, related to up-to-date literature in the libraries and their status of the libraries in the rural communities, celebrations and memorial days, as well as community funding.

The discussions on the draft budget will be continued in the coming days in the factions.