Salaries of HRA and CEC Officials to Increase

The Permanent Commission on Legal Affairs of the National Assembly is discussing a draft amendment to the "Law on Remuneration of Persons Holding State Positions and State Service Positions". According to the proposal, the coefficients for calculating the base salary of the Chair of the Public Television and Radio Committee and its members will be aligned with those set for officials in corresponding positions at the Central Electoral Commission (CEC).

It is possible that the Chair of the Public Television and Radio Committee and its members, as well as those holding similar positions at the CEC, will receive salaries ranging from 600,000 to 866,000 drams. Vache Kalashyan, head of the Civil Service Office of the Prime Minister's Staff, stated during the session that the main salaries of these individuals are proposed to be equalized.

The draft stipulates that the salaries of the CEC and HRA chairpersons will increase by 14 coefficients, while the members will see an increase of 10 coefficients. Gegham Nazaryan, a member of the “Hayastan” faction, expressed disagreement, stating that given the current situation in the country, that amount is excessive.

“What do these two commissions have in common, and why should the coefficients be adjusted? What positive work have they done that justifies increasing their salaries, which will add a burden of 38 million drams to the budget? This is at a time when government representatives say that a difficult year is expected economically. You should be ashamed and not publish figures on how much, for example, the HRA or CEC chairperson is receiving. They come and ask the National Assembly for salary increases when MPs earn twice as less,” said the opposition MP.

Comparing the work of the HRA chairperson and members with that of local self-government bodies, Nazaryan argued that the HRA is requesting a salary increase without having done anything. “We look at the trash shown on television and wonder why it is like this; they say, we’re just observers, we can’t change anything. These changes also don’t align with the government’s development program for 2021-2026,” Nazaryan stated.

“Multiplying the coefficient will yield a net salary of 866,880 drams for the chairperson and 602,000 drams for the members. Whether this is too much or too little is another matter, but we are assessing the function,” Kalashyan responded to Nazaryan’s position. He emphasized that salaries in all independent bodies should be equal.

The commission approved the draft with 5 votes in favor and 1 against.