The significant price increases and the increase in the father’s burden observed in Armenia will directly hit the pockets of the nationalists, especially the middle class. This was announced by Edmon Marukyan, a deputy of the alliance, during the rally against price increases organized by the “ELK” bloc on January 19 in the canton of Yerevan.

The rallying cry against price increases, and then the slogan is “No to price increases and increase in tax burden”. The participants of the rally demanded that the government restore the previous tax rates and work towards reducing the shadow economy.

“With the new Tax Code, the excise tax has been increased, which hits the very small middle class in RA, if it can be said that we have a middle class,” he said and noted that these price increases are very strong. Marukyan mentioned that the increase in the price of compressed gas, gasoline and diesel fuel will affect all sectors and he did so. “There are no problems with the EAEU here, the problem is in the new rates of our tax legislation,” he said.

The new rates of the Tax Code, which entered into force on January 1 of this year, have caused a wave of price increases, while in Armenia, which is declared a social country, not only are wages and pensions not expected to increase, but on the contrary, they will decrease as a result of the same tax rate increase.

Previously, the income tax was 24.4 percent for a salary of 120 thousand drams, and 26 percent for wages from 120 thousand to 2 million drams. According to the new income tax rates that came into force on January 1 of this year, first the threshold of 120 thousand was raised to 150 thousand, and the income tax for salaries up to 150 thousand was reduced to 23 percent. However, the income tax for recipients from 150,000 to 2 million was increased from 26% to 28%. In case of monthly salary earners above 2 million drams, the income tax remained the same – 36 percent.

In the background of all this, in Armenia in 2017 since August, the prices of butter, pork and beef have increased significantly, potatoes, fish, dairy products, gasoline and a number of other basic necessities have also increased in price. According to NSS data, in 2017 In January-November, the products with the highest inflation were butter – 40.7%, pork – 40.3%, potatoes – 29.3%, fish – 28.2%, diesel fuel and gasoline – 16%.

Edmon Marukyan mentioned that the increase in the price of compressed gas, gasoline and diesel fuel will affect all sectors and he referred to it. “They give an excuse, as if it is due to the increase in international prices, but they have become more expensive due to the new Tax Code by the National Assembly, to which “Yelk” voted against, proposed changes and which were rejected. We have 9 mandates, I am sure that it can be changed with your support, and to direct that energy to the political majority,” Marukyan said and demanded the restoration of the previous tax rates on behalf of the plebiscite.

Deputy of the National Assembly “Yelk” faction, chairman of the “Republic” party Aram Sargsyan noted that they explained in the parliament that a number of laws being discussed and adopted are wrong and will have negative consequences, which can be very difficult to correct. “We have explained to the authorities that the main money to fill the budget is in the shadows,” he said.

“The Prime Minister said that you have nothing to complain about, one more thing is good for us, that we live better than Georgia and Azerbaijan. He said that we have done well, we have changed the law, we have done you one more favor, go, live. Theoretically, the president of the country also said the same thing when he gave instructions to go and see if the changes they made are due to greed or if there are real problems,” he said and added that the country “was made a bribed fortress. both the bringer and the government are satisfied with this state, because they live well with it.”

According to Sargsyan, the only way to fight against the government is public struggle.

Leader of “Yelk” faction Nikol Pashinyan mentioned that their struggle will be continuous. “As for not leading to defeat, I have announced the following: when we invite the people to the streets to implement a change of power, it should last for a week and no more. Today, our slogan is “no price increases”, we will see what will happen later, he said.

The deputy noted that the demand for a change of power has been put forward for a long time, a critical mass must be gathered to implement it. “When there are several hundreds of thousands of citizens on the streets, I am committed to a change of power,” he said earlier.

While giving a speech from the platform, he compared Pashinyan’s economy to a malfunctioning mule. “Yesterday in the National Assembly, we learned that if the price of gasoline has increased, then there is an alternative: gas, and if gas is also expensive, we only have to argue with our neighbors to move our car,” he said.