Armenian party says authorities “too inept” to resolve pressing problems

Arminfo
14 Jan 05

YEREVAN

The atmosphere of impunity and permissiveness in the higher echelons
of power is confirming once again that current Armenian administration
are unable not only to resolve the situation in the country but also
to stop the precipitous recession the country is in, says a statement
by the Political Council of the Democratic Party of Armenia, part of
the Justice bloc, forwarded to Arminfo.

The statement says the unprecedented delays in the payment of salaries
and pensions, the doubled fares on buses which until recently were
considered the most accessible means of public transport, the doubled
tariffs on water and gas, and the price increase on a number of
primary goods have rendered useless the minimal increase in pensions
by 1,000 drams [2 dollars] and are dealing yet another serious blow to
the destitute categories of the population.

Under such circumstances, the guarantor of social well-being of the
population, the Armenian president, is preoccupied with forgiving the
sins of those who have plundered national wealth by concealing 70 per
cent of their real earnings from the state. Instead, tax agencies
focus mainly on small and middle-sized entrepreneurs, not “the market
sharks”, because they still operate under the patronage of the
authorities.

The resulting difficult socioeconomic and moral situation and the
universal violation of the most fundamental human rights are
confirming once again that the Armenian authorities are too inept to
improve the situation in the country.

Under the document, the Democratic Party of Armenia – which remains
faithful to its programme principles based on democratic socialism and
social justice – states that only in the event of implementing the
party’s programme will it possible to carry out social reforms in the
country, form a fair public atmosphere, avoid fresh social shocks and
take the country out of the current crisis, the statement says.