YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS. Minister - Chief of Government Staff of the Republic of Armenia Davit Harutyunyan disagrees with the opinions that the agreement over the Electoral Code between the authorities and the opposition was a consensus reached for the sake of money. In an interview with reporters at the National Assembly, Harutyunyan told that a consensus cannot be reached for the sake of money. “Consensus can be reached for the sake of politics or confidence. But it is a fact that money is needed to implement that consensus”, “Armenpress” reports Harutyunyan mentioning.

To the question what will happen in case Armenia fails to attract the necessary funding, Harutyunyan answered, “If there is no funding, that agreements will become valueless and the acting Electoral Code will be used with some amendments. The ways for raising that amount are defines by the agreement. For us it is unacceptable to search for other ways to find that funding”. He also added that donor companies show great interest for allocating sums aimed at the implementation of the amendments in the Electoral Code.

The Minister - Chief of Government Staff noted that the consensus reached over the Electoral Code is something unique and new for Armenia, mentioning that nothing like that has happened in the region in the past. “I cannot insist that we will manage to find that funding to implement the agreement. I hope it will be so and the Government will have a role in this regard”, Davit Harutyunyan said.

Harutyunyan also informed that two reform packages exist, one of which will be put into force immediately. “This means that we really undertake important reforms, while the implementation of some of which depend on funding”, he said.

Harutyunyan also referred to the rumors that Armenia has a preliminary agreement with the EU, according to which the EU will allocate the funding if the authorities and the opposition reach a consensus. Harutyunyan stated that there has been no such agreement.