Armenia pension hike ahead of elections draws criticism

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced that state pensions will increase by up to 10,000 drams (about $25) per month starting April 1, a move that has prompted both approval and skepticism among voters ahead of the June parliamentary elections.

The increase was not envisaged in the state budget and comes roughly two months after Pashinyan publicly questioned the effectiveness of such a measure.

“If we increase pensions by 11,000 drams or 10,400 drams a month, what will a pensioner do with that money? What will they spend it on?” Pashinyan said earlier this year, arguing that structural reforms, rather than small cash increases, were needed to improve living standards.

The shift in position has fuelled speculation among some citizens that the decision is politically motivated, given that it comes about three months before parliamentary elections.

Panorama.am conducted a survey in Yerevan on Thursday to gauge public opinion, particularly among pensioners. While most respondents welcomed the increase, many said the additional 10,000 drams would do little to improve their lives amid rising living costs.

“It’s too little. That 10,000 drams won’t change anything in a pensioner’s life,” one resident said.

Others linked the move directly to the upcoming vote. “I consider it a cultured form of vote-buying,” one interviewee said. “They receive bonuses themselves and throw crumbs to the people.”

“Such measures are common before elections,” another resident said. “They want to show they are making good decisions. It’s a PR move. Everyone does it.”

One respondent described the move simply as “a political decision”.