“The Armenian authorities, especially the Central Bank, must do their best to curb prices and be able to predict price rise,” Gagik Minasyan, Chairman of the Committee on Finance, Credit and Budget, RA Parliament, told reporters.

He stressed that the expected rise in the gas price will give impetus to the price rise. In this context, Minasyan said that the Armenian Government has raised monthly pensions by 2,500 AMD (about U.S. $6), without reducing other social payments. “Numerous credit programs tempered the impact of the economic crisis on the socially vulnerable sections of Armenia’s population,” he said.

Minasyan pointed out that prospects can look better if 3% economic growth is registered in the fist 3-month period of 2010.

T.P.