Prime Minister on Utility Payments

During a question-and-answer session between the National Assembly and the Government, Edmond Marukyan, the head of the 'Enlightened Armenia' faction, addressed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, informing him that due to delays in utility payment, disconnections are occurring, and targeted assistance is not being provided to those living on daily wages.

The Prime Minister responded: 'It is generally clear that during this period, the topic of economic and social support is one of the most urgent. The government’s approach is that such support should be targeted. At least in my own journalistic activities, I have shown how, in such emotional situations, it is not the needy who actually benefit, but those who do not need it. Therefore, our action is to ensure that targeting is maximally precise, and assistance reaches the right people.'

The Prime Minister noted that in places where support needs to be provided, public funds are being invested. He emphasized that after the crisis, there should be accountability to the public regarding utility payments. Pashinyan pointed out that today there is a context suggesting that, for example, utility payments should be postponed, and he asked why the utility bills of public employees should be postponed when they are receiving salaries. Why should the payments of the financially secure be postponed?

According to Pashinyan, utility payments should not be postponed even for those in economically vulnerable situations, whose lives do not change: 'A person is a beneficiary and continues to receive benefits as they did before.'

He added, 'The governor has been in contact; an agreement has been reached that disconnections will not occur. Why didn't we talk about this sooner? Because we didn't want it to be used as a signal for not paying utilities. From day one, one of the primary issues addressed by the governor has been this. We have that agreement through the Commission on Television and Radio, but my appeal and request is that those who have the ability should not delay payments, as this puts those in need in a worse situation. Those companies are ours too, and we need to think about them as well,' he said.