Tonoyan Was Not Given an Option: The Prime Minister's Instruction Was Final

According to the newspaper “Zhoghovurd”, discussions continue in the National Assembly regarding the execution report of the 2018 budget. On June 5, a closed meeting of the National Assembly Defense, National Security, and Internal Affairs Committee was supposed to take place, during which the execution of the Ministry of Defense's budget was to be discussed.

However, as it was announced that day, Minister David Tonoyan had gone on a business trip, so he would present the 2018 budget execution in the National Assembly today. But it turns out that the rescheduling has a backstory.

Specifically, on June 5, Deputy Minister of Defense Gabriel Balayan was in the National Assembly and had a serious conversation with the ruling faction. According to information from the newspaper “Zhoghovurd”, Gabriel Balayan said he could present the 2018 budget execution, but he was told that this could not happen because the Prime Minister had stated and instructed that the top officials must be present at the discussions.

It is worth noting that even Ararat region governor Garik Sargsyan, who was on vacation, appeared in the National Assembly yesterday and personally participated in the discussions regarding the execution report of the 2018 budget. Only the Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan did not come to the budget discussions in the National Assembly.

For more details, see today’s issue of the newspaper.