Connecting Rise In Prices With Forthcoming Elections Is Speculation,

CONNECTING RISE IN PRICES WITH FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS IS SPECULATION, ARMENIA’S PRIME MINISTER SAYS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 3 2007

YEREVAN, October 3. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian
believes attempts to connect the rise in prices with the forthcoming
presidential election are a speculation. "The rise in prices recently
recorded in Armenia has no connection with the future political
changes in Armenia," the Prime Minister said.

According to him, no political party will raise prices to earn
money before the election. "Proving the contrary is just an absurd,"
Sargsian said.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the RA Government are concerned
about the rise in prices and are studying the situation at present.

These studies are carried out within the policy of reducing shadow
market and making business more transparent.

"If we succeed in solving the problem, those who are gaining super
profits will face other problems in the future," Sargsian said.

A research conducted by the ARKA News Agency on the internal and
external influences on Armenia’s food market, as well as comments of
experts show that the rise in prices of a number of foodstuffs is
conditioned by external factors. The reason for the rise of prices
is that the self-sufficiency of foodstuffs is Armenia is not enough
to resist the influence of external factors on inflation by securing
a considerable volume of imports of vitally important agricultural
goods and foodstuffs.