VIDEO: We Could Have Come in 'Suits and Ties', Says Pashinyan

During today’s government meeting, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed the need for standardizing water quality for export to European markets while implicitly addressing public health concerns.

"We say that water needs to be standardized to facilitate our exports to Europe, but we are unconcerned that our people consume this water, even if phosphate levels are 100 times higher. This is the essence of the issue," Pashinyan stated.

He emphasized the importance of clarifying public attitudes towards such phenomena and inflation: "We must discuss all these matters with the people because inflation, within certain limits, is both a sign and a stimulus for economic development. This is a very important observation. Standardizing means increasing prices, but we need to understand what quality of state, existence, and life we want."

Pashinyan further remarked on societal standards: "The fact that we are all here in suits and ties is a standard that has also increased the cost of our lives. We could have come in 'sneakers and sportswear', but what would the public think if they saw that on television? However, when they see pork 'joints' being sold on the sidewalk, they don't question it. On the contrary, when we want to set a standard, they say, 'But wait, the price of pork will rise.' Yet that price increase will account for enhanced safety and health components, ultimately saving costs against future risks such as food poisoning."

According to him, the standard is vital, but the details must be communicated clearly to the public: "If it weren’t for the topic of exporting to European markets today, we might say, 'Why do we need standards? Let us drink and die.' But this communication is crucial for people to understand what is at stake. It’s about standards of living and quality, and we must realize that any increase in the quality of well-being means an increase in the cost of living."