The Armenian National Assembly adopted the draft state budget for 2019 at a special session on Thursday.
66 MPs voted in favor of the draft budget, 4 voted against, while 2 abstained.

Ahead of the voting, Republican lawmakers Eduard Sharmazanov, Arpine Hovhannisyan and Armen Ashotyan announced their decision to vote against the bill.

“In spite of the fact that the Republican (HHK) faction has announced it will vote in favor, I accept that opinion, but I will vote against given the fact that this is a regression budget, rather than inertial,” Sharmazanov said.

Republican faction head Vahram Baghdasaryan said the faction MPs are free to vote on the draft budget.

The lawmakers also adopted a draft law on making amendments and supplements to the Labor Code, as well as a bill on ratifying a loan agreement signed between Armenia and the Asian Development Bank on 9 November.