RISE IN PRICES AFTER THE ELECTIONS
By Marieta Makarian
AZG Armenian Daily
02/06/2007
On May 31 the Chairman of the Consumers’ Association of Armenia
Armen Poghosian, who was the guest of the club "Pastark", informed
that a rise in prices of consumer goods was recorded after the
elections. "It’s evident that the rise in some consumer prices is just
a consequence of elections". It’s natural that all those organizations
and individuals, who spent money during the campaign, have an aim and
possibility to return their money by raising the prices", explained
Armen Poghosian.
He also mentioned that National Statistical Service and the Central
Bank had announced that instead of inflation Armenia recorded deflation
rate of 0.2 percent. But the Consumers’ Association of Armenia cleared
up: "Water rose in price for several times, transport prices became
100 drams instead of 40, 50 and 70 drams, and here we have an inflation
rate of 200 percent. The prices of vegetables, fruits, dairy products,
flour, eggs and meat also rose. The price of bread rose by 10 drams".
Mr. Poghosian informed, "46 percent of the family budget in our
country is spent on food; in developed countries it is 25 percent,
and if it is more than 25 percent, it is considered the abject level
of poverty, and the people receive poverty benefits as a compensation".
"If the prices are not controlled, they will always have tendency to
rise in our country. Impunity and decontrolled prices are the reason
of high rate of inflation in our country. The currency exchange of
dollar has more uneven development in our country, than in neighbor
countries, and it influences the rate of inflation", said the chairman
of the Consumers’ Assocaition of Armenia. He also mentioned, "There
is no country that hasn’t inflation, but the prices rise parallel with
the incomes in these countries, what we cannot say of our country".
"Today only 60 percent of the imported food has labeling in the
Armenian language; some goods have no production and expiry dates",
he added.