Pensions Will Increase Not by 6000, But Up to 6000 Drams, and Not All at Once: 'Pasts'

'Pasts' newspaper reports. We often encounter advertisements where large letters and numbers state a discount, for example, 70 percent. People excitedly approach and later realize that it refers to 'up to 70 percent,' with the word 'up to' written in much smaller letters. The Armenian government operates with this mechanism as well. For instance, for two days, the authorities have been intensively spreading the news that in 2023, pensions will increase by 6000 drams.

For people receiving meager pensions, this 6000 drams is important, as the saying goes, 'even pulling a hair from a dog is beneficial.' However, the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Narek Mkrtchyan, stated that 'in 2023, a pension increase of up to 6000 drams is planned in two phases.' Here, the key elements are 'up to 6000 drams' and 'two phases.' This means that pensions will not increase all at once on January 1, but gradually, and it will be a rare few whose pensions will actually increase by 6000 drams.

It is still unclear what calculations and how this will be implemented. Additionally, even a 6000 dram increase is considered minimal by economists against the backdrop of existing inflation levels.

Under such conditions, even a complete increase of 6000 drams in pensions is not normal and cannot alleviate people's social situation. Comparing people's incomes to the existing inflation makes it clear that we are in a sad social state. Under the current conditions, whether it’s a 6000 or 10000 dram increase in pensions, it cannot remedy people's situations. With around a 40 percent price increase for certain goods and without a proportional increase in incomes, the authorities are presenting a mere phased 6000 dram increase in pensions as an unprecedented achievement, which is nonsense,” said Hayk Farmanyan, a candidate of economic sciences, in an interview with 'Pasts.'
For further details, check today’s issue of the newspaper.