Pension reform protest moves to Armenia’s third largest city (updated)
15:44 * 08.02.14
The activists of the civic group conducting an active campaign against
the funded pensions protested today in Armenia’s third largest city,
Vanadzor.
The crowd began with a procession and then gathered in the city’s
Artsakh square for a rally.
Different activists of the group ‘I am Against!’ delivered speeches
expressing their anger at the amended pension law.
“Why should the Government do a favor to others with our money? Our
money goes to God knows where and God knows why,” said Tigran
Simonyan, a young activist attending the protest.
The compulsory component of the pension law, which requires that all
Armenian citizens born after 1973 pay 5%-10% of their salaries to the
pension funds, went into effect on January 1. But shortly after, it
was suspended by the Constitutional Court in the wake of a wild public
anger and protests. But the group claim claims that despite the
ruling, many organizations in Armenia urge their emplyees to pay the
salary taxes.
Tigran Martirosyan, a Vanadzor activist of “I am Against!”, delivered
a speech at the rally, making calls for a united campaign.
“I am happy to see such an activeness in my native city. We will win
because we are united,” he said.
Armen Abroyan, who represents the group’s Yerevan branch, pointed to
the existing shortcomings in the law.
“I don’t think any expert can verify the legitimacy of this law. We
are right; therefore we are strong, and we will enforce our right,” he
told the protesting crowd.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun’s Nikol Aghbalyan
student union’s leader, Gerasim Vardanyan, said in turn that the civic
initiative was composed of just a couple of people when it had just
come into existence.
“We were looked upon as silly people, but the silliness comes from the
Government which imposes such laws upon the people,” the young
protester said, considering the rally a campaign for justice.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
