Now is the moment for decentralisation

Republic of Armenia

Form of government: parliamentary
Structure: unitary
Area: 29,743 sq. km.
Population: 2.99 million people (as of January 1, 2024)
GDP per capita in Armenia: 8,280 USD (2023)
GDP in Armenia: 24.218 billion USD (2023)

Number of regions: 10
Number of communities: 70, of which 63 are united communities, 5 are ununited, inhabited by national minorities, 2 largest cities: Yerevan and Gyumri
The largest region by area: Gegharkunik (5349 sq. km)
The smallest region by area: Vayots Dzor (2308 sq. km)
The largest community by population: Yerevan (1.13 million people, the capital)

The smallest community by population: Metsadzor (294 people)
The largest community by area: Sisian (1719 sq. km)
Community budget revenues: 1.19% of GDP, 0.09% of the consolidated budget (Ministry of Territorial Development of the Republic of Armenia)
Community budget expenditures: 0.12% of GDP, 7.54% of the consolidated budget (Law of the Republic of Armenia on the State Budget of the Republic of Armenia for 2023)

Ongoing Projects

Municipalities

Partners

Community News

Kapan Community Day celebrated with great pomp

Goris celebrated City Day

The Hungarian city of Szekesfehervar and the community of Vagharshapat became sister cities

The "Vanadzor Mayor's Cup" open swimming championship was held

International Youth Day was celebrated in the Artashat community

Gyumri Central Library replenished with 500 new books

A large-scale cultural program will be held in Abovyan as part of the annual "Fresco" International Festival.

A meeting of the Gavar community council was held

Jermuk community a favorite vacation spot for tourists

Knowledge Day in Ijevan community

A new cultural breath in Stepanavan

Aparan and Kaspichan communities signed a memorandum of cooperation and friendly relations

Delegations from the sister cities of Artashat participated in the celebration dedicated to the city's 2214th anniversary.

Yerevan and Naples signed an agreement on friendship and cooperation

Results of the cooperation between the kapan-Saint-Etien sister cities, this time in the field of healthcare

Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan spoke at the National Assembly about the analysis of fiscal decentralization gaps

A new park has opened in the Keti settlement of Akhuryan community

Meghri celebrated the city's day

Main Events

The topic of fiscal decentralization was discussed with financial experts.

Jun 19 - Jun 19

On June 19, 2025, at the office of the Salar International “DeaLog” project, our team and international experts met with experts in the financial and economic sphere and representatives of CSOs in Armenia. Among them were former Minister of Finance and Economy Levon Barkhudaryan and former Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration Armen Khudaverdyan. An in-depth professional discussion took place on the topic of fiscal decentralisation.

Visit to Vedi community

Jun 18 - Jun 18

Within the framework of the “Support to Decentralisation and Local Governance Reforms in Armenia” (DiaLoG) project, international experts Elton Stefan and Kelmend Zajazi visited Ararat region and met with the Head of Vedi Community, Garik Sargsyan.

The meeting was also attended by the DeLoG projects Armenian team and Shane Quinn, the program lead based in Sweden.

The discussion with Mr. Sargsyan focused on issues related to fiscal decentralisation.

Meeting with Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan

Jun 18 - Jun 18

As part of the study on fiscal decentralization in Armenia, international experts Elton Staffan and Kelmend Zayazy, accompanied by the DeaLog project team, continue their meetings with key stakeholders in the field.

On June 18, the delegation visited Yerevan Municipality and met with Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan.

The meeting discussed the mechanisms for forming the Yerevan community budget, programs implemented in the city, and issues related to the Union of Communities.

Discussion at the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure

Jun 16 - Jun 16

International experts Elton Staffa and Kelmend Zayazi, who arrived in Armenia within the framework of the “Support to Decentralisation and Local Self-Government Reforms in Armenia” (DeaLog) project, met with the heads and representatives of the responsible departments of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia.

The meeting was attended by the Armenian team of the project and the project manager in Sweden, Shane Quinn.

Gathering in Stockholm

2025-08-25

From August 25 to 30, the leadership of the Salar International Armenian team was on a working visit to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. The “Support to Decentralisation and Local Government Reforms in Armenia” (DeaLoG) project participated in the events dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Salar International organization.

Articles

The main provisions of the new draft law "On Local Self-Government"

For the first time, an attempt has been made to define by law the legal status and fundamental principles of operation of the Union of Communities of Armenia.

Communities for fiscal decentralisation

On October 15, the SALAR International Armenia team brought together representatives of Armenian communities at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Yerevan to discuss the financial decentralization agenda.

Gaps in fiscal decentralisation analysis discussed with National Assembly deputies

On October 15, the SALAR International team in Armenia organized a meeting with the Standing Committee on Financial, Credit and Budgetary Issues of the National Assembly at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Yerevan. The discussion focused on the fiscal decentralization gap analysis conducted by international experts Elton Staffan and Kelmend Zayazi within the framework of the “Support to Decentralization and Local Government in Armenia” (DeaLog) project.

Gaps in the Analysis of Financial Decentralization were discussed with development partners

On October 14, at the SALAR International "DeaLoG" program office, the Armenian team of the program, led by Shane Quinn, the program manager in Sweden, hosted all international organizations operating in Armenia who are involved in the local self-government and decentralization process or implement development and financial programs for communities.

The results of the analysis of fiscal decentralisation gaps were discussed at the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration

Today, the SALAR International “DeaLog” project team in Sweden, led by the project manager Shane Quinn, met with the Local Self-Government Policy Department of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia, led by the head of the department, Mr. Ashot Giloyan. The meeting was attended by international fiscal decentralisation experts Elton Staffan and Kelmend Zayazi, who arrived in Armenia on a special mission and returned to our country to work together with the government, communities, parliament and international partners within the framework of the decentralization agenda.

Alexis de Tocqueville

French aristocrat, diplomat, political philosopher and historian

The strength of a free people is in the local assemblies. Municipal institutions are as essential to liberty as schools are to knowledge: they make it accessible to the people and teach them to use and enjoy it. A nation may establish a free government, but without the spirit of municipal institutions it cannot have the spirit of liberty.