WHO FORMS POWER

Panorama.am
17:29 25/04/2008

"The most common and much talked topics during the elections are social
problems and for the voters it is very important candidate’s direction
and ideologies on this or that social item," Vazgen Khachikyan,
Republican Member and the head of Social Insurance State Committee.

"The difference is the social guarantees given by this or that
candidate," said Khachikyan and added that promises given by the
ongoing authorities are pensions, salaries, creation of jobs, and
educational, health issues and their reforms.

According to Armena Martirosyan, member of "Heritage" Party, said
that social issues are not necessarily in the first place in Armenia
as they are more connected with the process of elections, and who
forms the government.

The member of Heritage party mentioned some figures on the ongoing
social issues in Armenia: according to him the minimal salary in
Armenia is 25 thousands drams and the average is 88 thousands 172
drams. According to the deputy compared with 2005 the economic growth
was fixed 17.7%. He said that though those figures are official ones,
but he does not believe in them as recently the prices of oil were
increased but the economic growth was fixed 44%.