Government Proposes Removing January 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 from Non-Working Days

During today’s cabinet meeting, Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan presented a draft project proposing to remove January 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 from the list of non-working days. He stated that this initiative aims to strengthen the Armenian economy.

“The current regulations essentially eliminate ten days of economic activity, declaring a ten-day holiday. Anyone interested in the future of today’s Armenia, and responsible for it, cannot afford such extravagance,” said the Minister.

According to him, if this law is adopted, Armenia’s annual GDP will increase by 88 billion drams or about 1.5 percent.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan advised not to panic about the proposal. “This issue has long been maturing and discussed. We suggest that from today onward, we can debate this issue and understand what public consensus we can form; it is a very sensitive but important question,” he said.

Pashinyan emphasized that the draft should undergo readings in the National Assembly. “Let’s accept this not as a final political decision but rather as a proposal that should be discussed with the public, all of us,” he added.

The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Mesrop Arakelyan, expressed his opposition to the draft in its current form. “Reducing these non-working days significantly decreases the number of rest days for workers throughout the year,” the Minister remarked. He pointed out that economic activities almost operate at full capacity even on non-working days.

Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan remarked that it is not crucial whether the increase is by 88 billion or 48 billion drams, but it is essential to encourage work and overcome poverty through education and employment.

The Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Arsen Torosyan, also expressed his inclination to minimize non-working days as much as possible and convert them into working days. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan urged examining all layers of society and reaching a general conclusion.

The Minister of Social Affairs was the sole dissenting vote against the draft.