Armenian ministries not planning “corporate” Christmas parties this year?

Several Armenian government agencies are not planning corporate New Year celebrations this year, Tert.am’s survey reveals.

Representatives from the Ministries of Education and Science, Defense, and Territorial Administration said they are not organizing their annual traditional big parties this time, citing either saving plans as the reason or refraining from any comments at all.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, Artsrun Harutyunyan, told our correspondent that they are not preparing for a big event like the previous years. “We will not have [a party] for saving considerations,” he said.

Zoya Barseghyan, a press secretary at the Ministry of Territorial Administration, declined to comment on the issue, saying only that this year is the first time they are not having a corporate party.

In the course of his visit to Armenia earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned against spending money on corporate events, describing "corportate packages" as a major disgrace. It is noteworthy that two criminal cases were filed in Russia over the past years for sums spent on New Year celebration events. 

The Ministry of Education and Science, which traditionally holds Christmas celebrations before every New Year, is not planning any corporate parties either, said Arthur Baghdasaryan, a press secretary.

A spokesperson for the Armenian Government, Harutyun Berberyan, also confirmed that they do not have New Year celebration plans on the agenda.

“I don’t know for sure; it hasn’t been decided yet,” said Anahit Arakelyan, the Transport and Communication Ministry’s press secretary.

Speaking to Tert.am, a spokesperson for the Gyumri City Hall, Zohrab Yeganyan, said they may consider New Year celebration plans after revising the budget. “The mayor may organize [celebrations] within his own means as he did last year,” he answered.

But a Yerevan municipality spokesperson definitely gave a positive answer, saying that they plan New Year events for both employees of the City Hall and the staffs of different institutions with whom they regularly maintain contacts (schools, media, journalists, museums etc),

“And I don’t think it is nice of you to ask about the means, ” Arthur Gevorgyan told our correspondent. “It is like coming to my place and asking if I have borrowed money to lay the table. I think it is possible to give a party at least once a year.”

Speaking to Tert.am, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, Syuzy Badoyan, said they are planning a big and gorgeous New Year party at the Florence restaurant-complex.

“The Ministry normally organizes its end-of year events separately. This year, we plan an award ceremony for sportsmen, which will be attended by the Ministry’s entire staff, as well as federations, the leading personnels, sports journalists and coaches. The sportsmen who demonstrated top results this year will be honored at the event,” she said.

Asked whether states resources will be spent on the celebrations, Melkonyan replied, “Not only, because the state resources alone are not enough for organizing all this.”

As for the National Assembly’s traditional annual reception for journalists, it remains on the agenda as before.