YEREVAN, November 5, /ARKA/. Chief of Armenian Police Alik Sarkisian told ARKA that police officers will not have a pay rise next year ‘because of the financial and economic crisis.’

He said police officers were to have a 20-30% pay rise next year, but ‘unfortunately, the crisis has had its impact on our salaries and wages as well.’

He said under the draft 2010 budget the Police will receive next year slightly less funds than this year. He said also that he had discussed with prime minister Sarkisian the president’ instruction to look for a possibility to raise the budget of the Police at the expense of economized funds.

According to the 2010 draft budget, the government plans to collect 676. 6 billion Drams of revenues, down from 772 billion projected for 2009. It also plans to spend 859.6 billion drams, of which 85.7% will be current expenditures. Tax revenues for 2010 are projected at 533 billion Drams, up from 510 billion, projected for 2009. M.M. -0-