Epress.am News from Armenia
Protesting a legislative amendment to the national pension system and demanding an official response from the government, several dozen people gathered outside the Armenian government building this morning with colorful balloons and signs that read "Stop the Cumulative Pension", "Don't Guzzle Our Money", and "No to the mandatory. No to youth emigration".
The amendment "stipulate[s], among other things, that working individuals born after 1973 will have to transfer 5 percent of their income to state or private pension funds in addition to social security taxes paid by their employers," reported RFE/RL's Armenian service last week. The reform is expected to enter into force on Jan. 1, 2014.
During the entire protest, which was overseen by a large number of police officers, demonstrators used a megaphone to address ministers and members of the government inside the building, urging them to come out and respond to their questions.
Head of the "Department for Reception of Citizens and Discussion of Petitions" Aleksandr Ghazaryan, standing at the entrance stairs, approached demonstrators and accepted their letter. But he refused to give a speech through the loudspeaker and left, accompanied by whistling from the protestors.
At the end of the protest, the crowd released the balloons, comparing them to members of government and the ruling authorities: "Our country's leaders are balloons like these."
Before leaving, protestors promised to continue the fight, stressing that "they won't give their hard-earned pennies to thieving leaders."
