Health Budget Increases, but State Order Ends: 'Joghovurd'

The state order has ended, and citizens of Armenia applying for state order support hear the same phrase almost every year around mid-year.

The health budget continues to increase, yet the distribution of state orders remains the same each year. This is reported by the newspaper 'Joghovurd'.

The sole responsible authority for issuing and coordinating state orders is Samvel Kharazyan, the head of the Ministry of Health's State Health Agency, with Deputy Minister Lena Nanushyan as the second in command.

What assets does Samvel Kharazyan possess that could have hindered the potential development of the state orders sector? According to the 2024 income, property, interest, and expense declaration, Kharazyan owns nine real estate properties: one summer house, two plots of land, two garages, and four apartments. This is Kharazyan's modest property portfolio.

He acquired these properties in 2017, 2020, and 2022 in Yerevan and Abovyan. Kharazyan has stated that the summer house was purchased in 2024; however, it is not listed in the 'properties acquired in the declaration year' section. The price and means of acquiring the summer house remain questionable.

In 2022, Kharazyan bought an MG vehicle produced in the same year. His bank deposits totaled $10,000 and 256,000 AMD, while the balances in his bank accounts were 9,081,000 AMD, $25,729, and €4,563. Kharazyan's cash reserves amounted to 230,000 AMD, $800, and €3,200.

His declared income for the reporting year reached 23,318,000 AMD, of which 4,584,000 AMD was earnings from the Ministry of Health. Kharazyan has also received income from Civil Contracts. From the 'National Institute of Health named after Academician S. Avdalbekyan,' he reported receiving 8,895,000 AMD, from the World Health Organization, $2,649, from the Integrated Maternal and Child Health Services Program, $1,043 from the Health Ministry of Tajikistan, and €6,860 from the European Union's GOPA PACE.

As 'other income,' funds from other banks have been declared, including from 'Evoka' Bank and 'Akba' LLC Bank. Kharazyan also received dividends from 'Akba' LLC Bank. Additionally, he received rental income: 486,000 AMD from 'Pillars' LLC, 790,000 AMD from Rouzanna Arakelyan, and 966,000 AMD from Anahit Gevorgyan. He also received 80,200 AMD from the Ministry of Finance.