On 29 July, the participants of the advanced and practical skills development phase of the training program for young professionals launched within the “Budgets for Citizens” project and the face-to-face phase of the budgetary training program for the representatives of the CSO/Mass Media visited the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The visit was conducted in the scope of the “Budgets for Citizens” Project.

Ms Svetlana Hovakimyan, Head of Summary Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Mr. Armen Mnatsakanyan, Head of the Financial and Accounting Department of the Ministry, Ms Zaruhi Manucharyan, the Press Secretary of the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Ms Susanna Yeghiazaryan, Head of USAID/Public Finance Management Program Component 1 and Ms Anahit Hamzyan, the Chief Specialist of the Analysis and Monitoring Department of the Ministry met with the participants of the budget training program.

At the beginning of the meeting, Ms Susanna Yeghiazaryan, Head of USAID/Public Finance Management Program Component 1, welcomed the young specialists and the representatives of CSO/Mass Media of the budget training program.

Further, Ms Anahit Hamzyan, the Chief Specialist of the Analysis and Monitoring Department of the Ministry, presented the entire budget process and the measures planned by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in that process.

Mr. Davit Mirzoyan, a participant of the budget training program, representative of the “Information and Education Development Network” (INEDNET), was interested in budgeted initiatives aimed at triggering young people, developing their capacities and increasing their participation in the field of public administration. Ms Susanna Yeghiazaryan, Head of USAID/Public Finance Management Program Component 1 mentioned in response that the new employment strategy is being developed, which will include a number of measures aimed at the development of young people.

Ms Gayane Kochinyan, representative of “Lusastgh” NGO, was interested in the results recorded by CSOs, which were achieved as a result of the discussion of budget applications. Referring to the questioning, Ms Anahit Hamzyan noted that as a result of the discussion, a number of important proposals, which are planned to be included in the budget of the coming year, were collected.

At the end of the meeting, the representatives of the Ministry expressed readiness to answer the questions of the participants and continue the cooperation with the youth and CSO/Mass Media representatives.

The “Budgets 4 Citizens” (B4C) action (8 December, 2022 – 7 December, 2026) is being implemented with the financial support of the European Union by the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, in cooperation with partners “Economic Development and Research Center” (EDRC) NGO and “Agora Central Europe” NGO (Czech Republic).