YEREVAN. – Armenia Education and Science Ministry Information and Public Relations Department Head Artur Baghdasaryan approached the teachers and the members from the “Dem.Am [I am against]” civic initiative, which opposes the mandatory component of the new funded pension law in Armenia.

The teachers and the initiative members on Tuesday are staging a protest outside the Government Building No. 3, which also houses the Ministry of Education and Science.  

As reported earlier, the teachers demand that Education and Science Minister Armen Ashotyan withdraw his decision of making 5 percent mandatory pension deductions from the salaries of the employees of Armenia’s education sector.

Baghdasaryan proposed that several participants in the demonstration go up to the minister’s office because Ashotyan wishes to speak with them.

The demonstrators, however, refused to go to the minister, and demanded that Ashotyan himself come down and speak with them. 

Ministry Chief of Staff Mher Ghazaryan also came down shortly thereafter, but the protestors turned their back and shouted: “Go away! We want to speak with Ashotyan!”  

Earlier, the protesting teachers were reciting a poem and dancing a patriotic folk dance.   

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am