Sefilian and Pashinian to make speeches at ‘I’m against’ rally tomorrow

Armenian parliamentary deputy Nikol Pashinian and member of Pre-Parliament civil movement Zhirayr Sefilian will make speeches at the March 22 rally of ‘I am against the compulsory accumulative pension system’ civil initiative, member of the initiative David Manukian told journalists today.

In his words, Sefilian is the personification of the struggle, while Pashinian is a very good orator. “We are convinced that scientific substantiation will be presented concerning the new law,” Manukian noted.

It is noteworthy that it has not been clear so far whether representatives of political forces will make speeches at the rally. Many believe that their participation will give a political hue to the social struggle and distort the core of that struggle.

We would remind you that the compulsory accumulative pension system was introduced in Armenia on January 1, 2014. Under the new Law on Accumulative Pensions, citizens born after 1974 have to pay 5% of their salaries to accumulative funds and the state pays another 5%.

Four factions of the Armenian parliament – Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), ARFD, Armenian National Congress (HAK), and Heritage factions oppose the compulsory component’s introduction. They applied to the Constitutional Court of Armenia, asking it to recognize the new law as unconstitutional.

On January 24 the Constitutional Court suspended two clauses of the Law on Accumulative Pensions – parts 3 of Articles 76 and 86 pending the court decision. The court hearing of the case is scheduled for March 28, 2014.

‘I am against’ initiative will stage yet another rally tomorrow, ahead of the March 28 sitting of the Constitutional Court.