ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT VOWS SUPPORT TO SOCIALLY VULNERABLE GROUPS

ARKA
March 5, 2009

YEREVAN, March 5. /ARKA/. The Armenian government stands ready to
support the socially vulnerable amid the global recession, RA Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan said.

According to the premier, changes in tariffs on electricity, gas and
water suggest 2,000 drams (around $5.4) extra monthly expenses for
an average Armenian family.

"Drawing up the 2009 budget, we stated that a 14% rise in monthly
pensions is due to the growth of tariffs in April," Sargsyan said,
adding the rise in pensions aims at softening the negative impact of
the price rise.

The premier stressed that the government had agreed with its strategic
partners on raising tariffs in Q2. "Thus, the price rise will have a
little impact on families, as electricity and gas consumption will
decrease considerably in April, compared to January and February,"
he said.

According to the premier, socially vulnerable families are in hardships
due to a 20% slowdown in remittances to Armenia. "This downfall first
of all hits the socially vulnerable," the premier said.

"It means that the government must continue its target policy,
assisting 118,000 socially vulnerable families. If their number
increases, the government will earmark budget funds to pay social
benefits to those families," he concluded.