Lragir, Armenia
Nov 23 2006

WHOEVER COUNTS, PENSION IS LOWER THAN BASKET OF GOODS

Member of Parliament Aram Sargsyan, the leader of the Democratic
Party stated November 23 at the Hayeli Club that if the government
decided to raise the salaries of the high-ranking officials in
mid-2007, it is an effort to use these officials in the parliamentary
election in 2007. Member of Parliament Gagik Minasyan, the other
party of the debate who represents the Republican Party, disagrees.
He thinks that this initiative of the government is intended to help
create a middle class.

This was not the only controversy. The ruling Republican Party thinks
that the black economy in Armenia mounts to 50 percent. According to
the opposition, the black economy is up to 70-75 percent. According
to the representative of the opposition, only in imports of fuel a
monthly 10 million dollars is not taxed. According to the Republican,
it is estimated to increase tax collections by 27 percent as a result
of a crackdown on black economy.

`You are trying to be responsible for someone else’s fault,’ said
Aram Sargsyan referring to the state budget drafted by the government
and President Robert Kocharyan. Gagik Minasyan answered that he wants
to be responsible for the document which is not solving all the
problems but estimates a 9 percent growth of the GDP, a raise in
salaries, etc.

`I am saying that the basket of goods is 70 thousand drams. I might
as well say 200 thousand because the government failed to set down
the basket of goods. It means the government policy has failed,’ Aram
Sargsyan stated. Gagik Minasyan disagreed with … the numbers.
According to him, the basket of goods is 15 thousand drams. Gagik
Minasyan who stated this knew very well that the minimum retirement
benefit is 12 thousand drams.
From: Baghdasarian