Opposition MPs Blast Government's Minimum Wage Bill

13:47, October 24, 2012

Armenia's opposition MPs continued to deride the government's draft bill raising the monthly minimum wage by a scant 2,500 AMD to 35,000.

ARF MP Artzvik Minasyan stated that, "The Armenian government's economic policy is neither based on international experience or common sense."

MP Minasyan added that while international experience shows that wages must be raised to overcome the crisis so that demand can be spurred,Armenia's government is suffocating demand. He concluded by biding "farewell" to such a government.

MP Galoust Sahakyan, from the ruling Republican Party, responded that the country would be better off if there wasn't such a large shadow economy but that we have to make do with the situation at hand. He urged legislators to pass the bill despite the paltry rise, arguing it was better than nothing.  Read more... (223 words)

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