On January 15, 2026, on the initiative of the “New Stage” NGO, a public event was held within the framework of the “Budgets for Citizens” project, with the participation of representatives from civil society institutions and state bodies. The event was dedicated to the program “Advocacy and Public Discussion Based on Budget Analysis in the Field of Justice.”
The meeting opened with a welcoming speech by Syuzanna Soghomonyan, representative of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association NGO and the “Budgets for Citizens” project expert. She presented the objectives and approaches of the program, emphasizing its importance in promoting public oversight of the state budget, developing participatory processes, and strengthening the capacities of civil society. She particularly highlighted initiatives for advocacy based on budget analysis in the fields of justice and anti-corruption education, as well as the role of such public discussions in identifying sectoral challenges and developing joint solutions.
During the meeting, Astghik Matinyan, expert of the sub-grant program, presented the main issues identified within the program and provided recommendations for their improvement. This was followed by a discussion of the recorded issues, exploration of possible solutions, and active exchange of ideas. As a result, practical recommendations were developed for improving the policy document prepared by New Stage NGO, with contributions from both civil society organizations and representatives of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia.
Participants agreed on continued cooperation, implementation of the presented recommendations, and the development of mechanisms for monitoring sectoral reforms.
This event was organized with the financial support of the European Union, within the framework of the sub-grant provided by the “Budgets for Citizens” project, jointly implemented by the Armenian Lawyers’ Association NGO, Economic Development and Research Center NGO, and Agora Central Europe NGO (Czech Republic). The program “Advocacy and Public Discussion Based on Budget Analysis in the Field of Justice” was implemented by the “New Stage” NGO. The content responsibility lies with the “New Stage” NGO, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
