Armenian Government Declines Arf-D-Proposed Bill

[Kanayan Tamar]

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT DECLINES ARF-D-PROPOSED BILL

tert.am
25.10.12

Armenia's government declined on Thursday the bill on minimum monthly
wages proposed by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun
(ARF-D).

Minister of Finance Vache Gabrielyan informed Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan that, according to the bill, from 2013 the minimum monthly
wages are to meet the following criteria: they are not to be less
than last year's minimum monthly wages, with the annual price rise
considered.

Secondly, the minimum monthly wages cannot be less that 80% of the
minimum consumer budget or less that 30% of the average monthly wages
for 2013. Also, in 2014, the minimum monthly wages cannot be less
than 40% of the average monthly wages. From 2015 onward, they cannot
be less than 50% of the average monthly wages.

Thirdly, the wages of persons holding political and civil posts,
government officials, employees of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
cannot be less than 120% of the minimum monthly wages.

The premier stressed that the government and the ARF-D agrees that the
rates incorporated in the bill will become the government's targets.

"We object to making the rates statutory, but the government must
have them in store," the premier said.

Tigran Sargsyan instructed Minister Vache Gabrielyan to consider the
proposed rates in presenting the 2013 draft budget.

The minister said the rates will be incorporated in the mid-term
expenditure program.