The Armenian National Assembly on Friday, December 8 approved the draft annual budget law for 2018 with a vote of 64-35.

Lawmakers from the ruling Republican Party and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun voted in favor.

The budget expenditures will grow from AMD 1.36 trillion in 2017 to AMD 1.464 trillion next year, revenues will reach AMD 1.307 trillion from AMD 1.21 trillion last year, with the budget deficit set to stand at AMD 156 billion.

The country's defense expenditures will grow by 17,6% to about $518 million in 2018.