Activist: Pensioners in Armenia worse off now than in 2018

Armenian pensioners' financial situation has deteriorated since 2018, claims activist Avetik Chalabyan, coordinator of the HayaKve movement.

"Pensioners are worse off today than they were seven years ago when the current government came to power," he told a press conference on Wednesday.

Chalabyan argued that while government spending on state institutions and debt servicing has tripled, pensions have not been raised adequately.

Presenting a study by the movement’s Socio-Economic Committee, economist Hrayr Kamendatyan said that 502,000 citizens are covered by Armenia’s pension system, which faces “serious challenges”. He questioned the government’s claims of a fivefold pension increase, pointing out that the minimum pension has risen only from 40,000 drams in 2018 to 49,000 drams today – an increase of just 20%.

Kamendatyan also pointed to stark regional disparities: Armenia’s minimum pension stands at $93, compared to $188 in Azerbaijan, $148 in Georgia and $505 in Turkey. He called the situation “unacceptable”, stressing the need for comprehensive reforms.

David Hakobyan, former deputy minister of labor and social affairs, underscored the gap between wages and pensions. While average wages grew by 74% over the past seven years, pensions increased by only 20%, leaving today’s 36,000-dram pension with less purchasing power than in 2017.

The movement announced plans to push for a 50% pension increase.