Vanadzor residents decry gap between public sector bonuses and pensions

Residents of the northern Armenian city of Vanadzor have voiced sharp criticism over a widening gap between public sector bonuses and pension levels, calling the disparity “deeply unjust” amid rising living costs.

In interviews conducted with local residents, many pensioners questioned the fairness of recent financial allocations, pointing to reports of multi-million dram performance bonuses for officials alongside a modest 10,000-dram increase in pensions.

“Is it fair that while bonuses reach 5–7 million drams, pensions are raised by just 10,000?” one elderly resident said. “Pensions should be at least 80,000 drams. What is this amount supposed to do?”

Another resident argued that the funds allocated for bonuses could instead be directed toward vulnerable groups, including low-income families, orphanages, and people with disabilities.

“How can this be fair? People are in extreme hardship, while each official receives millions,” she said. “Someone has to think about ordinary citizens.”

Several respondents expressed the view that public officials, including ministers, should adopt a more modest lifestyle and that income disparities within the public sector are excessive.

“Ministers are also human beings, they have needs like everyone else. There should be more equality,” one participant said.

Another pensioner said monthly pensions should not fall below 100,000 drams, arguing that current adjustments are insufficient to offset inflation.

“A pensioner should not receive less than 100,000 drams. Officials increase their own pay and bonuses, but ordinary people are struggling,” he said, referring to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Some residents went further, alleging that the bonus system has effectively replaced earlier forms of corruption rather than eliminated it.

“They have turned corruption into something more polished and called it bonuses,” one interviewee said. “It should be abolished.”

Others said the recent 10,000-dram pension increase has had little practical impact amid rising prices.

“Five thousand drams in a shop buys almost nothing now. People are living in very difficult conditions,” one resident said, criticizing the government’s economic priorities.