YEREVAN, May 17. /ARKA/. Armenia's economic performance can not deteriorate to an extent as to pose a threat to the government, Minister of Economic Development and Investments Artsvik Minasyan said today.

"It takes time to collect and analyze all the operational data, but I can state that there is no deterioration of economic indicators that could threaten Armenia. Moreover, today the situation is such that many foreigners are trying to invest in Armenia," he said after a Cabinet meeting.

Minasyan also noted that the new program of the government, which will soon be submitted for approval by the National Assembly, will also include new elements of economic policy, including measures to eliminate monopolies.

In related news former head of the State Revenue Committee Vardan Harutyunyan stated at a Cabinet session today that the agency collected 14 billion drams more in the first four months than projected.
He said the agency plans to collect 1 trillion 275 billion drams in various taxes by the end of the year, up from the projected 1 trillion 249 billion drams.

The 2018 budget calls for 1 trillion and 307 billion drams in revenue and 1 trillion and 464.2 billion drams in spending. The projected budget deficit is 156.9 billion drams. ($ 1 - 483.36 drams). -0-