Armenia’s parliamentary majority torpedoes extraordinary parliament session
15.11.2013,
15:29
Armenia’s parliamentary majority made up of the governing Republican Party of Armenia and Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) party has torpedoed today an extraordinary session initiated by the parliamentary minority to discuss the possible postponement of the introduction of compulsory funded pension system, which the government is to enforce beginning from next year.
YEREVAN, November 15. / ARKA /. Armenia’s parliamentary majority made up of the governing Republican Party of Armenia and Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) party has torpedoed today an extraordinary session initiated by the parliamentary minority to discuss the possible postponement of the introduction of compulsory funded pension system, which the government is to enforce beginning from next year.
The lawmakers from the coalition ignored en mass the session that could not be convened due to lack of quorum. There were only 45 MPs in the hall and the quorum is 66 members of the 131-member legislature.
The news has prompted several hundred people dissatisfied with the coalition’s move to gather outside the parliament. They are being steered by a public movement formed to protest against the funded pension system.
Several lawmakers from the opposition Armenian National Congress and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun have joined the angry protesters urging them to march to the head office of the Republican Party of Armenia.
On January 1, 2014, the funded pension system is to become obligatory for all those born after January 1, 1974. It is expected to apply to some 250,000 people, including self-employed persons and rural population. Each of them is to put 5 percent of his/her monthly wage on a special account. The government will add as much but no more than 25,000 drams. ($1 – 405.06 drams). -0-
