Asatryan: 65 thousand citizens won’t be able to refuse social payments

Discussions of the draft law on amendments to the Law on Accumulative Pensions started at the special sitting of the Armenian parliament today.

Deputy of Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) faction Levon Martirosyan asked the rapporteur, Labor and Social Affairs Minister Artyom Asatryan, what fate awaits those citizens who do not work or have a temporary job.

The minister replied that if during labor activities the citizen has ever made payments, he/she will later receive a pension depending on the amount of those payments.

HHK deputy Samvel Fermanyan asked whether the legislative package was examined by experts and if it may be recognized unconstitutional, like the previous one. Farmanyan noted that there is an atmosphere of mistrust in society. “As is known, even the best legislative package is doomed to fail, if there is no trust in society. Did you take that into account?” he asked.

The minister said that all the laws are considered constitutional as long as the Constitutional Court does not declare them unconstitutional. In his words, the legislative package was examined by experts.

As for restoration of trust in society, Artyom Asatryan said that unfortunately, the legislative package was not a subject of wide public discussions. “Superficial opinions were voiced, there are no proposals concerning the heart of the problem, so we have now the problem of holding more substantial and detailed discussions with society,” the minister said.

The HHK deputy also asked if state sector employees have the right to file applications about refusal to make social payments. Artyom Asatryan replied that social payments will apply to 65 thousand citizens employed in the state sector and they cannot refuse.

“In other words, the legislative initiative will not apply to Armenian citizens who were born after 1974 and work in the private sector”, he noted.

As for those who receive the minimum wage, the minister said the state as an employer will make that payment. “Deductions will not affect the minimum wage,” he said.