ARF FORECASTS 50% POVERTY LEVEL IN ARMENIA
news.am
Nov 18 2009
Armenia
With due implementation of the anti-crisis program, the poverty
index would not be so high, Artsvik Minasyan, member of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) faction, told NEWS.am, referring to
the WB report on poverty level in Armenia. According to Minasyan, the
poverty level is Armenia is much higher than the 28.4% indicted in the
report. "The number of poor people is much higher. If we consider the
minimum social security budget, the poverty level will reach 50%,"
Minasyan said. According to him, even the WB’s report confirms that
the Government should revise its anti-crisis program.
The WB report indicates a sharp increase in the number of people
living in abject poverty in Armenia – 6.9% this year against 3.6% last
year. Minasyan said that social tension will soon be palpable. "Social
tension will grow, and more homeless people and beggars will appear
in the streets," Minasyan said. He pointed out the need for increasing
social payments.
Among "the poor" are also the migrants that failed to find jobs,
as well as small businessmen, who came under administrative pressure
and went bankrupt. The risk group also includes employees, whose wages
are insufficient for their families. "I think that most of the 100,000
citizens below the poverty line are women, as their employment problem
has not been resolved," Minasyan said.
According to him, the Armenian Government announced a "defective"
anti-crisis program, but failed to properly implement even such a
program. The Government failed to ensure macroeconomic stability. As
regards the industry, the Government supported individuals, rather
than industrial sectors. The Government failed to implement a consumer
promotion policy.
The WB report on poverty level in Armenia indicates that the poverty
level reached 28.4% in the country in the 2nd quarter of 2009 against
23.5% last year. The percentage of people living in abject poverty
reached 6.9% this year against 3.6% per 107,000 last year.