GYUMRI. - Armenia will face the threat of losing its statehood in 2013 due to authorities’ inability to settle interest rates of external debt, said opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) member, former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan at meeting with ANC Gyumri office activists.

“To settle the external debt Armenia will need $90 million this year, $190 million next year, 478 million in 2013. Do you realize what a huge amount it is? ” said Bagratyan, adding that nobody is certain about the real amount of external debt.

“The announced figure is not exhaustive. The government has given references. Do you understand what that means? Current legislation does not provision the right of government to give references. However Tigran Sargsyan has given a construction company a reference for $50 million loan, which means that it is the government’s debt now,” said the former PM.

According to him, there is no figure reflecting the deposits.

“I am the first to say this in Armenia. The ministries have deposits in banks, for instance the Defense Ministry. Nobody can tell where these sums come from,” he added.