The demand for increase of wages and pensions put forward by Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the leader of the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC), are impossible to satisfy with the current budget, Hakob Hakobyan, Chairman of the Social Affairs Committee, Armenian Parliament, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“Before making such a demand, let his remember the amount of pensions and allowances under his presidency. The highest pension was 2,500 drams (U.S. $6-7). Compare those figures with the figures now,” Hakobyan said. Before making any proposals one “has first of all to ensure budget revenues and then decide on how the funds are to be spent.” “I do not claim pensions are high. I say a pension policy needs to be specified before pensions are raised,” he said.

A to a social riot the opposition political figures have repeatedly forecasted, Hakobyan said that it is unlikely. He referred to the latest survey by the World Street Journal, which gave Armenia a low ranking. The social problems existing in Armenia need resolving, he said. “Times and relations have changed. The laws, which were mostly adopted in 1990s, do not meet present-day requirements. Socio-economic relations are different now,” Hakobyan said. “The riot problem is a problem of political figures. Let them decide,” he said.

The ANC leader demanded the increase of the minimum monthly wages up to U.S. $200, unemployment benefit up to U.S. $100 and minimum monthly pension up to U.S. $110.