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PENSION ROW: PRESSURE GROUP CALLS FOR SCRAPPING 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL' LAW
http://armenianow.com/society/pensions/53337/armenia_pensions_demam_protest_movement
PENSIONS | 07.04.14 | 10:41
Members of a civil initiative campaigning against the controversial
pension reform have called on the government to immediately withdraw
the law on funded pensions after some of its provisions were recognized
as unconstitutional last week.
Enlarge Photo
Dem.am deems such a step will help avoid the legal chaos that has
been created in view of various interpretations of the ruling passed
by the Constitutional Court on April 2.
The Court, while finding unconstitutional a number of key provisions of
the law, gave the government and the National Assembly until September
30 to bring them in correspondence with the country's basic law.
Based on that, government officials have stated that the law will have
to be complied with until a specially set up working group develops
a new package to amend the law. Some even hinted that the essence of
the reform may not change, while the law eventually will be brought
into conformity with the Constitution.
In explanations of the Court ruling made in an interview with the
Public Television on April 3, Constitutional Court Chairman Gagik
Harutyunyan said that by delaying the invalidation of some of the
law provisions they seek to avoid jeopardizing 'legal' security as
the pension reform comprises more than 50 laws relating to various
spheres. He, at the same time, confirmed that nothing constrained the
government and the National Assembly to make the necessary changes
earlier than the deadline.
Dem.am activist Hakob Arshakyan told reporters on Saturday that the
government must give up the current system immediately. "The previous
system was functioning and one can quickly return to it," he said. The
activist also called on the government to ensure the return of all
money so far collected from workers in favor of pension funds.
Under Armenia's law on funded pensions, all working citizens born
after 1973 must pay five to ten percent of their salaries to privately
owned pension funds in addition to other social security payments
made by their employers. They will be able to use their accumulated
funds when they reach the retirement age, which is set at 63 for both
men and women in Armenia.
http://armenianow.com/society/pensions/53337/armenia_pensions_demam_protest_movement
PENSIONS | 07.04.14 | 10:41
Members of a civil initiative campaigning against the controversial
pension reform have called on the government to immediately withdraw
the law on funded pensions after some of its provisions were recognized
as unconstitutional last week.
Enlarge Photo
Dem.am deems such a step will help avoid the legal chaos that has
been created in view of various interpretations of the ruling passed
by the Constitutional Court on April 2.
The Court, while finding unconstitutional a number of key provisions of
the law, gave the government and the National Assembly until September
30 to bring them in correspondence with the country's basic law.
Based on that, government officials have stated that the law will have
to be complied with until a specially set up working group develops
a new package to amend the law. Some even hinted that the essence of
the reform may not change, while the law eventually will be brought
into conformity with the Constitution.
In explanations of the Court ruling made in an interview with the
Public Television on April 3, Constitutional Court Chairman Gagik
Harutyunyan said that by delaying the invalidation of some of the
law provisions they seek to avoid jeopardizing 'legal' security as
the pension reform comprises more than 50 laws relating to various
spheres. He, at the same time, confirmed that nothing constrained the
government and the National Assembly to make the necessary changes
earlier than the deadline.
Dem.am activist Hakob Arshakyan told reporters on Saturday that the
government must give up the current system immediately. "The previous
system was functioning and one can quickly return to it," he said. The
activist also called on the government to ensure the return of all
money so far collected from workers in favor of pension funds.
Under Armenia's law on funded pensions, all working citizens born
after 1973 must pay five to ten percent of their salaries to privately
owned pension funds in addition to other social security payments
made by their employers. They will be able to use their accumulated
funds when they reach the retirement age, which is set at 63 for both
men and women in Armenia.