Bagrat Asatryan: Armenia’s citizens will not become happier by end of 2011October 21, 2010 - 14:41 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Former chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia Bagrat Asatryan said that the 2011 state budget of Armenia is not the best one in the country’s history. “Armenia’s citizens will not become happier by the end of 2011, while those people, who cannot live with our reality, will leave the country, as the Motherland cannot create favorable life conditions for them,” said Asatryan. According to him, under the 2011 budget, 14.5% and 42.4% drop will be recorded in the educational and agricultural expenditures respectively. Besides, only 7.7% growth is envisaged in the social expenditures, while inflation already amounted to 7.8% during the first nine months of 2010. Asatryan also believes that the pension reforms have been failed in Armenia. “It had been decided to adopt all relevant laws in 2010, with voluntary and compulsory pension systems to start operating from 2011. However, as a result of discussions, the compulsory system was postponed for three years, i.e. the radical reforms have been postponed, as our government is unable to solve serious tasks,” concluded Asatryan. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Armenia-Qatar ties discussed in Doha The Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council met with the Deputy Secretary General of the National Security Council of Qatar. ARARAT special evening dedicated to Aznavour's 100th Anniv. On May 20 ARARAT legendary Armenian brandy, celebrated the centennial of Maestro Charles Aznavour with a special event. Surveying works underway in Armenia’s Kirants Surveying works are underway in the Armenian village of Kirants in the northern Tavush province. Armenia calls for prohibiting threats of attacks on nuclear facilities Armenia has raised the need for a treaty prohibiting attacks on nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes. |