Distrust of government growing in Armenia

By AzerNews

Distrust of government is growing in Armenia, as the parliamentary opposition intends to declare distrust of the government, which violates the legislation and cannot ensure economic growth.

The opposition believes that the government violated a number of requirements of the legislation on sale of 20 percent of shares of ArmRosgasprom, owned by the Armenian Cabinet of Ministers, to Russia on December 2013.

The opposition plans to raise the issue at the forthcoming parliamentary session and calls other political forces to join the initiative.

The opposition regularly expresses dissatisfaction with the government at the parliamentary sessions.

Armenian opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan asked a question about the reasons why the government, which was not able to ensure seven percent economic growth in 2013, does not resign. In response he was called "an angry man".

"Why the government does not resign?" he inquired at the parliamentary session on February 3. The government should have ensured an economic growth, as president ordered. President's statements seem to have no value."

Parliamentary Speaker Ovik Abramyan in reply to Pashinyan said, "Why are you angry? I do not answer to angry men."

The difficult economic situation in the country has worsened after the government's decision on increasing gas and electricity tariffs in July 2013.

After the closing of several greenhouses and bread production facilities due to increased tariffs, now 30 percent of fish farmers have stopped working.

"Fisheries are on the path of bankruptcy, they have large loan commitments, and now they are in a very difficult situation," the Fish Farmers Union reported.

The production sphere in Armenia is face to face with serious problems. For the Armenian government the production of tractors used to be a major success in the field of industry. Armenia produced 212 tractors in 2012 instead of 5 as compared to the previous year. However, no tractor was produced in Armenia in 2013.

The consumer prices in turn continues rising. The food prices increased by 5.3 percent in January.

For Armenian population migration is the only way out from the complicated situation in the country. Russia is the main country for Armenian migrants. Some amendments to the Russia's legislation since January 1 created great inconvenience for the Armenian migrants.

The citizens of countries without a visa regime with Russia are entitled to stay in the country for three months, then they must return to their country, to stay there for three months and then they will be able to spend another three months in Russia.

Armenian migrants believe that three months are not enough to come to Russia, find a job and start earning and then to send money to family.

The Armenian government with its policy is likely to gain increasing distrust among the population and to bring closer its forced resignation.