Armenian President Comments On Issue Of Return Of Population’sDeposi

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT COMMENTS ON ISSUE OF RETURN OF POPULATION’S DEPOSITS WITH
SAVINGSBANK OF FORMER USSR

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20. ARMINFO. The fact that Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan signed a decree on convocation of a parliamentary
extraordinary sitting to discuss the return of the population’s
deposits with the Savingsbank of the former USSR does not mean the
president supports the given initiative. President Robert Kocharyan
made this statement at a press-conference on Lori region.

In his words, he has never promised to return the population’s
deposits when running for presidency. Today, discussion of the state
budget for 2005 is more important and urgent for Armenia as the whole
financial activity is connected with this document, the president
thinks. Meanwhile, involvement into such a disputable and complicated
issue before discussion of the state budget will endanger the budget’s
adoption. This budget provides for a rise in the wages of teachers,
medical personnel, militaries and others, the president says. He notes
that it seems to be a escpecially planned action pursuing a goal of
creating tension to divert the attention of the government and the
parliamentary coalition from solution to the major issues. I am sure
that the number of reasonable MPs in the parliament is much higher
and the right ways towards solution to this issue will be found,
Robert Kocharyan says.

In the president words, a commission was convened in the parliament,
which works on the issue of returning the population’s deposits and
a governmental commission will be formed in late January, 2005 in
conformity with his instruction in order that the given problem be
further studied. As long as we lack a final idea of how to solve the
issue, we will not know the possible consequences of our decisions for
the country’s economy, and hereby, we shall not be able to solve the
problem, the president says. He expressed readiness to consider the
possible ways of its solution. Robert Kocharyan is of the opinion that
the action initiated in the parliament pursues a goal of making Orinats
Yerkir party to join the initiative hereby leaving the coalition in
an awkward situation. Meanwhile, the population’s problems bear no
relations to this interest, the president says.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress