Epress.am News from Armenia
The Dem Em pressure group against the new pension reforms on Saturday rallied in Yerevan's Liberty Square, followed by a march through the Armenian capital.
The rally took place a week before the Constitutional Court is set to rule on whether certain provisions of the law are unconstitutional. As described by RFE/RL's Armenian service: "These provisions, in particular, stipulate that all working citizens in Armenia born after 1973 pay five to ten percent of their salaries to private pension funds in addition to other social security payments made by their employers on the understanding that they will be able to use their accumulated contributions when they reach the retirement age, which is set at 63 for both men and women in Armenia. Many young people, including those in high-paying jobs, are skeptical about the reform as they do not trust either the government or the private funds to manage their savings for such a long period of time. Besides, many regard the compulsory nature of the law as a major violation of the Constitution."
During the rally, apart from Dem Em members, representatives of various initiatives and political parties made speeches before a crowd of thousands of supporters: Armenian National Congress MPs Nikol Pashinyan and Hrant Bagratyan, Pre-Parliament initiative member, war veteran Jirayr Sefilian, Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian, Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) MP Artsvik Minasyan, among others.
"All of the speakers welcomed the civil movement, at the same time criticizing the government over its policies in various spheres," reported RFE/RL's Armenian service.
At the end of the rally, Vanadzor rapper David said he too is against the mandatory component of the law and expressed his position through a performance. David's song contained the refrain "I don't want to become a rich granddad".
Several thousand citizens then marched from Mashtots Ave. to Sayat-Nova Ave. and Abovyan St., then from Republic Square to Amiryan St. and then back up Mashtots Ave. to Liberty Square.
Below: Sign reads: "No to the mandatory injection"
Below: Sign reads: "For whom are you emptying [people’s pockets]?"
Below: Sign reads: "They deceived us"
