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ARMENIAN OPPOSITION MEMBER REACTS TO US AMBASSADOR'S STATEMENT ON PENSION REFORMS
February 27, 2014 | 13:42
YEREVAN. - By defending the new funded pension law adopted in Armenia,
US Ambassador John Heffern violated the system of values of his
country.
Opposition Democratic Motherland Party Chairman Petros Makeyan stated
the aforesaid at a press conference on Thursday.
Makeyan reflected on the statement which Heffern had made, at the Third
Annual International Pension Conference that was held on February 21
in capital city Yerevan, where he had noted that the pension reform
is very important for Armenia.
"[The ambassador] praised this [pension] system [thereby] violating
their own country's system of values that the US is a democratic
country, and it considers its people's view when making important
decisions. But Heffern, knowing that the Armenian people are against
the [new] pension law, defends it," he said, in particular.
In Makeyan's words, the American diplomat had no right to make such
a statement.
"The ambassador should go and solve his country's problems; he should
not deal with us. Regardless of what the US ambassador thinks, the
'mandatory' pension component [in the new law] shall not be passed
[in Armenia]," Petros Makeyan argued.
Ambassador John Heffern's statements at the aforesaid conference had
caused large protests among the opponents of the new pension reform.
The "I am against" civic initiative members had even sent open letters
to the American diplomat.
The new funded pension plan, which formally came into force in Armenia
on January 1, 2014, is mandatory for those born in and after 1974
and voluntary for those born before 1974. In line with this plan,
5 to 10 percent of the monthly salaries in Armenia will be deducted
and mandatorily be allocated to cumulative pension funds; the latter
will be reimbursed as pensions once a person turns 63 years old.
On January 24, however, the Constitutional Court decided to suspend the
execution of some components in the Law on Funded Pensions pending
the hearing--on March 28--of the petition submitted by the four
non-ruling-coalition parliamentary forces--the Armenian National
Congress, Prosperous Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and Heritage--,
and into the constitutionality of the several articles of the law.
Notwithstanding this, some employers already are deducting the
mandatory pension payment from the salaries of their employees.
Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am
News from Armenia - NEWS.am
February 27, 2014 | 13:42
YEREVAN. - By defending the new funded pension law adopted in Armenia,
US Ambassador John Heffern violated the system of values of his
country.
Opposition Democratic Motherland Party Chairman Petros Makeyan stated
the aforesaid at a press conference on Thursday.
Makeyan reflected on the statement which Heffern had made, at the Third
Annual International Pension Conference that was held on February 21
in capital city Yerevan, where he had noted that the pension reform
is very important for Armenia.
"[The ambassador] praised this [pension] system [thereby] violating
their own country's system of values that the US is a democratic
country, and it considers its people's view when making important
decisions. But Heffern, knowing that the Armenian people are against
the [new] pension law, defends it," he said, in particular.
In Makeyan's words, the American diplomat had no right to make such
a statement.
"The ambassador should go and solve his country's problems; he should
not deal with us. Regardless of what the US ambassador thinks, the
'mandatory' pension component [in the new law] shall not be passed
[in Armenia]," Petros Makeyan argued.
Ambassador John Heffern's statements at the aforesaid conference had
caused large protests among the opponents of the new pension reform.
The "I am against" civic initiative members had even sent open letters
to the American diplomat.
The new funded pension plan, which formally came into force in Armenia
on January 1, 2014, is mandatory for those born in and after 1974
and voluntary for those born before 1974. In line with this plan,
5 to 10 percent of the monthly salaries in Armenia will be deducted
and mandatorily be allocated to cumulative pension funds; the latter
will be reimbursed as pensions once a person turns 63 years old.
On January 24, however, the Constitutional Court decided to suspend the
execution of some components in the Law on Funded Pensions pending
the hearing--on March 28--of the petition submitted by the four
non-ruling-coalition parliamentary forces--the Armenian National
Congress, Prosperous Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and Heritage--,
and into the constitutionality of the several articles of the law.
Notwithstanding this, some employers already are deducting the
mandatory pension payment from the salaries of their employees.
Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am
News from Armenia - NEWS.am