How much will Armenia’s constitutional referendum run the budget?

3.4 billion drams ($7.1 million) will be allocated for the upcoming constitutional referendum on April 5.

The referendum will decide the issue of the dissolution of the composition of the Constitutional Court, which took office  under the previous government.

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For comparison: 3 billion drams (about 6.3 million dollars) were allocated for early parliamentary elections in December 2018, immediately after the “velvet” revolution.

According to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, these expenses are justified, as they are aimed at the free expression of the will of the people.

“Moreover, democratic elections help fight corruption and financial crime.  So, they help to return to the state a lot more illegally appropriated funds,” the prime minister said.

234 million drams (490 thousand dollars) of this money will be allocated to the police, the remaining 3.1 billion drams (6.6 million dollars) will go to the Central Election Commission.