27/06/2019 21:15
Minimal salary should reach 110,000 AMD not 68,000 set by government: economist
The raise of minimal salary proposed by the government making it 68,000 AMD (instead of current 55,000) is welcoming and corresponds to the demand of Armenia’s Labor Code – raise of salary in parallel with the growth of prices, economist Movses Aristakesyan said, speaking to Aysor.am.
“Since 2015 the minimal salary in Armenia has not been raised, and remained 55,000 AMD while the prices have grown by 10-12%. In the mentioned conditions I consider the raise of minimal salary normal. Nevertheless, the previous threshold as well as the new one do not correspond to the current social-economic conditions,” he said.
According to the economist, the minimal salary must reach 110,000 AMD.
“This is the minimal sum for the people to be able not only solve stomach’s issues but go public and be able to get use of minimal services and afford the bills,” Aristakesyan stressed.
Asked whether the Armenian economy has enough resources for setting 68,000 AMD for minimal salary and especially the mentioned 110,000, the economist said there are no such resources, which though is the state’s flaw.
As a solution to the issue the economist mentioned seizing income taxes.
“I think the National Assembly made a wrong decision. With the equalization of income tax those getting high salaries will pay small amount of taxes. The budget will suffer big losses while the sums could have been addressed to a solution of a number of issues,” the economist said.