Exchange Emigration with Export of Armenian Citizens to Finance the State, Bagratyan Suggests

A Jan. 13 statement made by a government official during a government meeting that Armenia will have sufficient financial resources in 2011 (referring to a World Bank loan) is "complete idiocy," said former prime minister Hrant Bagratyan, adding that Armenia receives a World Bank loan ever year, so "stop turning it into a show."

According to him, over the past three years, the state has taken out loans two times more than it did in 15 years.

On the matter of repaying such loans, Bagratyan proposed exporting Republic of Armenia citizens. "Since the government won't be engaged in real economic policy, I propose that the emigration of people be exchanged with the export of people."

"Each exported individual, on average, gives the state $4,000. We received $400 million in December. It would be better if they didn't send that money , so that the people here were involved in fixing the state," he said.