Armenian MP from the opposition Armenian National Congress Faction, ex-premier of Armenia Hrant Bagratyan offers Facebook users to single out the official to be dismissed by President Serzh Sargsyan for the current situation in the country's economy.
"According to the National Statistical Service, in January 2014 economic growth in Armenia made up 1.8% as compared with Jan 2013. Not 7% or 3.5%, but 1.8%. And this is an official figure. By my data, it is the second worst index over the past 21 years. The index was worse only in January 2009, when 0.7% decline was registered", Bagratyan says on his Facebook page.
The Armenia National Statistical Service's data provided to ArmInfo demonstrate that in 2007 Armenia's GDP grew by 13.7%. Afterwards the growth rates decelerated to 6.9% in 2008 and were replaced by 14.1% decline in the crisis-affected year 2009. Thereafter, in 2010 the growth made up 2.2%, in 2011 - 4.7%, in 2012 - 7.2%. In Jan-Dec 2013 versus Jan-Dec 2012 economic activity rose by 3.5%, and in Jan 2014 1.8% y-o-y growth was fixed amid 52% decline versus Dec 2013. It should be noted that in Jan 2011 the Armenian Government took a decision to calculate the current macroeconomic indices by the discrete method. So, the absolute value of GDP is no longer published monthly and is mentioned in quarterly and annual reports only. The monthly economic activity is calculated by international standards.
Bagratyan says that according to the statistics, the financial sphere is prospering despite the low condition of economy.
To recall, on 18 March 2013 Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said that the Government that is unable to ensure 7% economic growth must resign. Later, on 13 Dec 2013 he said at a meeting at the Economy Ministry that he expected the Government to present a detailed analysis in Feb-March 2014 after the National Statistical Service summed up the socio-economic results of 2013.
According to the National Statistical Service, in Q3 2013 GDP in Armenia amounted to 1 283,5 bln AMD (up 1.4% as compared to Q3 2012). In November 2013 the 12-month inflation made up 6.6%. The Armenian state budget 2013 mentions 6.2% GDP and 4% inflation (+1.5%).