Minister: officials need financial security to work efficiently

PanARMENIAN.Net - Presenting the 2025 state budget performance report, Finance Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan addressed the issue of bonuses in the public sector, emphasizing that government salaries haven’t increased in recent years and that the public system remains vulnerable compared to the private sector.

“I believe that our public—if not pleased—should at least not be angry about this… Officials shouldn’t have to worry about daily social issues in order to focus and perform their jobs at the highest level,” Hovhannisyan stated, according to Panorama.am .

He stressed that additional compensation is not handed out in envelopes but is awarded transparently as bonuses based on performance.

“It would’ve been easier if someone came and distributed this money in cash—then no one would call it a bonus, and it wouldn’t become a topic for public debate. But we’ve chosen the path of transparency and clarity—it may not be perfect at first,” he said.

Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan confirmed that ministers and ministry employees received bonuses. Galyan said she personally received about 6–7 million AMD in bonuses after taxes.

In December, National Assembly MPs received a total of 3.025 million AMD each in salary and bonuses after taxes, according to opposition MP Kristine Vardanyan of the “Hayastan” faction.