YEREVAN. – Politically, 2019 was a year unfulfilled promises by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the ruling team. Ex-ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov said this at a press conference today.

"It was a year not only of unfulfilled promises, but also of absurd statements and attacks on state institutions," he added. “One year on, we have unfulfilled promises. There is no immigration; moreover, according to official data, the population of Armenia has decreased by about 12 thousand people. There are no investments; investments reduced by about $60 million. There is no major economic revolution that Pashinyan was talking about. For comparison, when the RPA relinquished power, we had, according to official data, double-digit economic growth of 10.5%. Today's budget has set a 4.9% economic growth. Even if it will be 7%, as they predict, there can be no talk of a leap forward."

Sharmazanov added that the "economic revolution" expected in Armenia is a myth. Instead, according to him, we have a leap forward in terms of ministerial salaries. "Second, we are dealing with a ‘bonus pay show’ performance,” the RPA spokesman added. “We witnessed a parade of bonus payments in various departments. According to the press, the National Assembly received bonus payments 14 times in 10 months. We saw unjustified spending - $350,000 to fly to Los Angeles; according to the press, $2 million to renovate the government mansion, other expenses around $1 million, 5 million drams to wash carpets in half an hour, and so on. This is the achievement of the Pashinyan government."