YEREVAN. – Opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan and Pre-Parliament initiative member Jirair Sefilian likewise will speak at Saturday’s rally by the “Dem Em [I am against]” civic initiative, which opposes the new pension law in Armenia.

“Dem Em” member Davit Manukyan stated the aforesaid at a press conference on Friday.

“One representative, each, from the four non-[ruling]-coalition parliamentary forces [i.e., the Armenian National Congress, Prosperous Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and Heritage], whereupon our initiative members as well as Nikol Pashinyan, Jirair Sefilian, and [famous actor] Ashot Adamyan will speak,” he said.

To the reporters’ question as to why they have invited the aforementioned indivuduals, Manukyan stressed:
“[Karabakh War veteran] Sefilian personifies struggle, whereas Pashinyan is a very good public speaker; we believe that he will give methodical explanations about the law.”

The new funded pension plan, which formally came into force in Armenia on January 1, 2014, is mandatory for those born in and after 1974 and voluntary for those born before 1974. In line with this plan, 5 to 10 percent of the monthly salaries in Armenia will be deducted and mandatorily be allocated to cumulative pension funds; the latter will be reimbursed as pensions once a person turns 63 years old.      

On January 24, however, the Constitutional Court decided to suspend the execution of some components in the Law on Funded Pensions pending the hearing—on March 28—of the petition submitted by the four non-ruling-coalition parliamentary forces—the Armenian National Congress, Prosperous Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and Heritage—, and into the constitutionality of the several articles of the law.

Notwithstanding this, some employers already are deducting the mandatory pension payment from the salaries of their employees.