YEREVAN. – The bill on raising the salaries of state officials is introduced by a government which has failed in conducting the country’s economic policy.   

Non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party National Assembly (PAP NA) Faction MP Vahe Hovhannisyan stated the above-said at Friday’s NA briefing with news reporters. 

He noted that, under today’s difficult conditions, it is unethical to introduce a bill which is aimed at sharply increasing the salaries of a group of senior officials in Armenia.

“There is an impression that the ruling elite does not know what is going on in this country,” the MP added.

On her part, PAP Faction Secretary Naira Zohrabyan stressed that their faction is against this bill and that childish theories should not be circulated, according to which we should not give fish to the citizens, but rather give the fishhook so they can catch fish.

“There are no jobs. We cannot look into the eyes of our citizens, and this is not populism. The senior officials’ salaries should not be raised at this phase; they should use that money to raise the salaries of teachers, doctors. When there are no jobs, this is blatant populism and demagogy,” Zohrabyan argued.