By increasing the pensions 2 months before the elections, the authorities consider that they have done a great favor to the pensioners, and the pensioners should also be rewarded during the elections. Wherever Nikol Pashinyan goes, he gives the increase of pensions in the face of a pensioner. They talk about increasing pensions with such pride that it seems that the increase is not even 10,000 drams.

They always remind about the 10,000 dram pension increase, but they forget that in recent months the prices in Armenia have been increasing at such a speed that the pensioner has almost nothing left from this increase. The pensioner has to pay much more to buy the same product now than he paid a short time ago.

Since the beginning of the year, the rates of inflation in Armenia have accelerated sharply. Inflation has long exceeded the upper limit of the intended target, and the Central Bank does not like to take steps. Once again, they decided to leave the main interest rate unchanged, creating a favorable environment for further acceleration of inflation.

Already in April or the same month when pensions were raised, the 12-month inflation in Armenia reached 5.3 percent. This in itself is a serious signal of inflation, but that is not all. for a pensioner, not the average inflation, but the price of the goods he buys every day is more important.

Food is one of those products. And food prices in April, compared to the previous year, have already managed to increase by 9.5 percent.

In other words, almost two-digit inflation was registered in the case of products of primary importance for pensioners and other consumers in general.

Only in the last month, from March to April, food prices increased by another 2.8 percent.

Food prices have risen widely. Many primary products have risen in price very sharply. In April, compared to April last year, the prices of beef increased by 20.5 percent, lamb by 15 percent, and pork by 12.5 percent. The price of poultry has increased by almost 5 percent. Egg inflation exceeded 31 percent within 1 year. The price of vegetable oil increased by 11.6 percent, butter by 8.7 percent, cheese by 8.5 percent, sour cream by 9.3 percent, milk by 9 percent, and cottage cheese by 7.1 percent. Inflation of pasta reached 11 percent, cereal – 10.5 percent, buckwheat – 7.7 percent.

Two-digit inflation was registered in the case of fruits. This year, fruits are 10.3 percent more expensive than last year. The inflation of vegetables is no less high. In April, compared to the previous April, prices increased by 6.5 percent. The price of tomatoes has risen sharply. this year the price is more than 31 percent higher.

These are still only food price increases. Non-food products and services also became more expensive. Until recently, they were proud of the miracles performed by imported Azerbaijani gasoline, gasoline prices were higher this April than last year. In case of diesel, inflation is 7 percent. In the case of liquid gas, it is unnecessary to even talk about it, the price was 48.8 percent higher than last year.

Let’s assume that a pensioner does not use gasoline, gas or diesel, but he cannot avoid using food. The 9.5 percent food inflation is a serious blow to the pensioner’s pocket. It means that the increase of pensions is watered at the moment of the increase. On the surface, the pensioner receives more money, but at the same time pays more for bread, dairy products, oil, meat, fruit, vegetables and other primary products.

And it turns out that there is almost no real improvement in his life. If a person used to barely cover the monthly expenses, then in the conditions of today’s price increases, adding 10,000 drams does not solve a significant problem, at best, it slightly softens the blow that the pensioner suffers as a result of the impact of inflation.

Here is the main lie of raising pensions. They give with one hand and take with the other hand, through inflation.

The pensioner sees that there is a little more money in his wallet, but now he can buy less things in the store with that money.

What is the value of such a raise for a pensioner, which does not change anything in his life?

If the pension increase does not provide better living conditions for the pensioner, it does not have a social meaning, but becomes just a propaganda tool. What was hidden under this whole political show of raising pensions. When the government increases pensions before elections, but does not ensure that the increase is protected from inflation, it turns into pre-election bribery politically.

The government tells the pensioner: I have increased the pension. But the pension increase is important not in the amount, but in what the pensioner can buy with that money. Inflation rates have greatly accelerated in Armenia, and they nullify the increase in pensions.

The problem becomes deeper when we look at what CP promises in its pre-election program. Allegedly, they have already increased pensions so much that they no longer plan to increase them for the years 2026-2031. Instead of an increase, they are going to be satisfied only with the indexation of pensions. Moreover, they say that they will do it only from 2028.

In other words, if the CP is re-elected again, gets power, pensioners will have to wait another two years until their pensions are somehow linked to inflation. And until then, what should they do?

Until then, they should rely on the 10,000 drams, which have already managed to lose their value largely as a result of widespread price increases.

If this is the case today, it is not difficult to imagine what will be left of it in the next 2 years, until, in the case of reproduction, the CP will be pleased to index it.

HAKOB KOCHARYAN

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