YEREVAN. – The Government of Armenia says we have a 10-percent industrial growth, in the case when there is no such thing, former PM and opposition Armenian National Congress member Hrant Bagratyan stated during a press conference on Thursday.  

In his words, the authorities are selling the mines and representing this as growth; and, if this continues, no mines will remain in Armenia in ten years. Furthermore, according to Bagratyan, shadow economy comprises a tremendous portion of the mining industry.

Hrant Bagratyan is also very suspicious of the Government’s indicators with respect to agricultural growth. “In line with official data, agriculture had a 15-percent growth, but the population reduced by 3 percent. The prices should have reduced by 18 percent, but, instead, they increased by 12.5 percent,” Bagratyan noted.