YEREVAN. - Independent Armenia was founded with a principal of rule of law but the present-day authorities significantly undermined these foundations, ex-chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia Bagrat Asatryan said on Thursday.
 
"In 1991, Armenia left USSR in full compliance with the law on withdrawal from the Soviet Union. Independent Armenia was founded as a legal state. Now, unfortunately, the country can be characterized by the words of national anthem - pitiful and abandoned. If the ruling leadership decides on who does what, speaking of legal principles is a waste of time. All markets are strictly divided between a small group of people," said Asatryan.
 
Armenia renounced the Soviet anthem in 1990s under Armenian National Movement. Soon after the ANM adopted the lyrics of current anthem, replacing the words "pitiful" and "abandoned" by "free" and "independent."