YEREVAN. - The Armenian parliament has discussed a bill on the minimum basket of goods, pensions and allowances, submitted by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D).

The ARF-D offers to increase the amount of pensions and allowances from current AMD 28, 000 ($ 74) to AMD 61, 000 ($ 161). The ARF-D member Artsvik Minasyan stated in parliament that the government has the necessary funds. However, the government’s current policy is breeding poverty rather than reducing it.

“Armenian authorities need a controllable shadow economy. Due to the government’s economic policy, the people are doomed to poverty now. The government is unable to resolve the country’s urgent problems. So they should not hope to receive public confidence,” Minasyan said.

The Armenian government, as well as the ruling majority, objects to the bill. The government has no funds for such reforms, they say.