Fiscal decentralization issues related to increasing the efficiency of providing community services were discussed under the leadership of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan, President of the Board of the Communities Association of Armenia and Mayor of Yerevan Tigran Avinyan, members of the Board, Ryan Knox, Executive Director of SALAR International (a subsidiary of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions), and Elton Staffas, expert and project manager at SALAR International. The latter provide support in the development of financial policy within the framework of decentralization reforms in Armenia.

Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan noted that the fiscal decentralization agenda is part of the obligations signed under the European Charter of Local Self-Government. He added that SALAR International has conducted analyses regarding general fiscal decentralization in Armenia and presented specific recommendations.

Elton Staffas, expert and project manager at SALAR International, presented a roadmap for developing fiscal decentralization tools aimed at increasing the efficiency of providing community services.

First, reference was made to the existing challenges, the toolkit, incentives for local development, and other factors. Subsequently, details were presented regarding the reform process, which proposes gradual fiscal decentralization and the improvement of the public financial management system at the local level.

An exchange of ideas took place regarding the combined application of local taxes and sectoral financing tools, as well as steps aimed at providing efficient community services.

Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that strong communities are of key importance for the country's overall development. He noted that administrative-territorial reforms have created strong communities, and the proposed reforms will provide the necessary tools for delivering quality services. In this regard, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the presented recommendations and the further steps toward their implementation.