Epress.am News from Armenia
Members of an initiative against the new pension reforms and hundreds of supporters today once again protested in the streets of Yerevan, urging relevant state bodies to get organized and fulfill the Constitutional Court's ruling to temporarily abolish the law.
Holding signs that read "I won't emigrate" and "I am against"; chanting "Stop!", "Shame, shame!" and "free, independent Armenia"; and whistling, marchers first walked by the government building, then the Central Bank, then the State Revenue Committee, and finally to city hall.
During the march, demonstrators urged working citizens to join them and "not to choose pension funds under unlawful pressure." Recall, according to the new law, employees born after 1974 are asked to choose one of two pension funds to which a portion of their monthly earnings will be transferred.
"According to data obtained on Jan. 28, 0.5% of citizens had chosen funds — this figure speaks to distrust [toward the government] and the government's unreadiness. For 10 years, the government prepared for this so-called reform by 0.5%, and that, forcibly. We say this law won't be introduced; we are going to enforce our rights," said one of the marchers.
Note, hundreds of police officers accompanied the entire duration of the march. Officers made a human chain near the State Revenue Committee building and blocked access to the grounds. They didn't permit demonstrators to approach the building, which led to a skirmish between police and demonstrators. A few demonstrators advanced and stuck the initiative's leaflets on the building's main door, which officers immediately removed.
Later, when the march moved on, some demonstrators broke the police chain and approached the building. Officers, however, using force, pushed them back.
