Pashinyan’s salary to nearly double as Armenian civil servants set for pay rises from 2027
Salary increases for public officials in Armenia
From 1 January 2027, senior Armenian officials will receive higher salaries. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, for example, will earn 2,662,000 drams ($7,353), up from the current 1.5 million ($4,143). Deputy prime ministers’ salaries will rise to 2,163,000 drams ($5,975), from 1,289,000 ($3,560).
The increases will apply not only to the executive branch, but also to the legislative and judicial branches. The state budget will allocate 25 billion drams ($69 million) for this purpose. The government has already approved the draft. Parliament must now approve it.
“How does this public official live? How does he buy a suit and a watch? We never assess the negative impact [of this factor] on the development of our state. But the effect is highly negative. If we do not solve this problem, it will lead to disasters,” Nikol Pashinyan said during a discussion of the draft.
The ruling party views the decision as a reform. The prime minister said he was confident that failing to implement the project would mean “keeping Armenia stuck in place and continuing to subordinate the logic of the state to the logic of corruption”.
However, the opposition warns that such decisions will further deepen the sense of social injustice.
“Citizens often become disillusioned and leave the country not only because of economic difficulties, but also because of a sense of injustice,” former MP Garnik Danielyan said.
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Salary increases in figures
Under the proposed amendments to the law “On remuneration for persons holding public office”:
- the president of Armenia will earn 2,662,000 drams ($7,353), up from the current 1,664,000 drams ($4,596);
- the speaker of the National Assembly will earn 2,496,000 drams ($6,895), up from 1,497,600 drams ($4,137);
- MPs will earn up to 1,497,600 drams ($4,137), up from 832,000 drams ($2,311);
- the president of the Constitutional Court will earn 2,412,800 drams ($6,665), up from 1,664,000 drams ($4,596);
- the prosecutor general will earn 1,830,400 drams ($5,056), up from 1,248,000 drams ($3,447);
- the ombudsman will earn 1,830,400 drams ($5,056), up from 998,400 drams ($2,758).
Governors, deputy ministers and deputy speakers of parliament will also receive higher salaries.
The stated amounts include taxes and other mandatory payments.
Ruling party representative’s assessment and opposition response
Eduard Aghajanyan, an MP from the ruling party, told journalists:
“The public administration system has consistently faced difficulties attracting highly qualified specialists. The issue became particularly acute after the 2018 revolution, when the logic of working within the system changed radically. Systemic corruption was eradicated, and the motivation mechanisms were completely restructured.
At the same time, pay levels made the public administration system unattractive to highly qualified professionals.
We have been at the helm of government for eight years now. I believe that the decision to address this issue is somewhat overdue.
I welcome the government’s decision. I am confident that it will produce the desired results in attracting highly qualified professionals.”
Former MP from the opposition Armenia bloc Garnik Danielyan wrote on his Facebook page:
“According to official data for 2024, Armenia’s poverty rate stands at 21.7%. One in four children lives in poverty, while thousands of families continue to face severe social hardship. People struggle to meet their basic needs. Moreover, in the 21st century, Armenia has recorded cases of people dying from hunger.
In your 2021 election programme, you [addressing the authorities] promised to halve the poverty rate by 2026. Poverty has not declined. But you yourselves are now living better. You no longer buy vacuum cleaners or televisions on instalment plans. Instead, you are accumulating assets.
Of course, no one objects to high salaries for public officials. But given this level of poverty, should the priorities not be addressing social problems, creating new jobs and ensuring decent living conditions for people?
And this is happening while Armenia’s public debt has already exceeded $14 billion. Housing and employment remain critical issues for thousands of Karabakh Armenians. Hundreds of people still live in temporary shelters, and many are forced to buy groceries on credit.
Clearly, political calculations also lie behind this decision — namely, preserving loyalty within the state system.”
Comments from Armenian residents on social media
The decision to raise the salaries of senior public officials has sparked heated discussions on social media. Most users criticised the authorities. Here are some of their comments:
“Of course, raising the salaries of civil servants and public officials is important. But we must not forget a phenomenon that is shameful for Armenia. Librarians receive the lowest salaries [75,000 drams — $208]. Raise them!”
“After spending days and nights thinking about the people, the ‘democratic’ government decided to raise its own salaries by 60–80%. Meanwhile, citizens earning 80,000–150,000 drams ($220–414) can continue entering shops full of goods. As prices rise rapidly, they must painfully choose whether to buy food for their child or shoes for themselves.”
“They are setting their salaries higher than those of members of the British royal family. And they are paying for all this with our taxes. They will bleed us dry. This is only the beginning.”
“The [prime minister] claims that raising his salary and those of other officials is necessary to prevent a catastrophe. According to this passionate speaker, a ‘catastrophe’ is when someone asks where an official got his suit or watch. I wonder who will ask him what he plans to spend those 2,662,000 drams — around $7,400 — a month on, considering how expensive he is for the state. For nine years now, you have paid neither rent nor utility bills, car expenses, petrol or maintenance costs.”
Salary increases for public officials in Armenia
