Strategic Dialogue with Prime Minister of Armenia on Fiscal Decentralisaton
On 26 March 2026, SALAR International took part in a high level discussion with the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, to present key findings and recommendations on advancing fiscal decentralisation in the country.
Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan
The discussion was grounded in the comprehensive analysis carried out within the Sida financed “Support to Decentralisation and Local Self-Government Reforms in Armenia” (DeaLoG) project. The meeting brought together representatives from the Government of Armenia and leading stakeholders in local governance, including Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan; Minister of Finance Vahe Hovhannisyan; Chairman of the Union of Communities of Armenia and Mayor of Yerevan, Tigran Avinyan; members of the Board; Ryan Knox, Managing Director of SALAR International; Varsenik Mnatsakanyan, team leader of the DeaLoG project in Armenia and Elton Stafa, DeaLoG fiscal expert.
Representatives from the Government of Armenia & leading stakeholders in local governance.
During the session, the DeaLoG team presented its study outlining the structural challenges within the current system, as well as the key tools and opportunities for strengthening local development. The proposed reform roadmap emphasises gradual fiscal decentralisation, improved public financial management at the local level, and the more strategic use of local taxes and sectoral financing mechanisms. Together, these fiscal reforms aim to enable communities to deliver more efficient and higher quality public services for citizens.
Ryan Knox, Managing Director of SALAR International and Elton Stafa, Fiscal Expert Dealog.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan emphasised that strong communities play a key role in the country’s overall development, noting that territorial-administrative changes have already helped create stronger communities, while the proposed changes will provide the necessary tools for delivering high-quality services. In this regard, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the presented proposals and the next steps towards their implementation.
SALAR International, through the DeaLoG project, remains committed to supporting Armenia in its continued efforts to advance decentralisation reforms and strengthen local governance.