Parliament of Armenia passed amendments to the Law On State Pensions in the first reading, Thursday.
Minister for Labor and Social Affairs Artyom Asatryan says the draft budget of Armenia for 2014 envisages nearly 29 bln drams for pension provision. In this light, the bill looks to certainly change the order of the state pension provision on the basis of the general labor experience. Thus, the pensioners with at least 10 years of labor experience will receive by 9.5% higher pension in 2014. The pensions will rise 12.9%, 15.4%, 17%, and 18.6% for 20, 30, 40 and 50 years of the labor experience, respectively. In addition, he says, the government will pay approximately 700 drams for every year of labor experience.
The pensioner with 10 years of labor experience will receive by 6,2 thousand drams more pension in 2014. The minister says the bill looks to reduce the number of extremely poor pensioners. If passed, the bill will reduce their number by 32,000 people.
The minister explains that in 2014 the pensions of 450 people will be left unchanged. The pensions of some 60 people will be increased by 5%. Another 19.500 pensions will enjoy a 5%-10% rise in pensions, nearly 165,000 people will receive by 10%-15% higher pensions, and some 101,000 people will receive by 15%-20% higher pensions. A significant 20%-40% rise in pensions will apply to 164,000 pensioners.
The oppositionist MP from the Armenian National Congress Nikol Pashinyan expressed bewilderment with the Government's intention to reduce the number of the extremely poor pensions by 32.000 people amid increased gas and electricity tariffs.