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On July 13-15 at the initiative of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs of the National Assembly and USAID in Tsakhkadzor a seminar was organized dedicated to pension reforms. With the participation of NA Vice Speaker Arevik Petrosyan, the representatives of the political forces represented in the parliament, the responsible officials of the executive power and adviser of USAID PALM Pension and Work Market Reforms Program the legislative package envisaging main amendments in the pension system, which was adopted in the first reading, was discussed.

The Chairman of the Head Committee in the parliament Hakob Hakobyan underlined the start of the discussions the importance of the meeting with this format, observing it as touching upon the deputies’ concerning issues and as a necessary phase for specifying the factions’ stances.

The Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan presented the process, phases and main directions of the reforms of the seminar participants. The Deputy Minister of Finance Vardan Aramyan presented the accumulating component of the pension system.

The Director of the Advisory organization Daniel Vartunik and expert Volodimir Yatsenko introduced the participants the international experience, expressing readiness to support in the further phases too.

Summing up the discussions the NA political forces presented their views.

In the words of Artsruni Aghajanyan, the Country of Law faction considers very necessary in case of the current low level of the pension the reforms, and it is for the initiative of the executive body.

The Head of the Heritage faction Styopa Safaryan in his speech voiced his objection about accumulating obligatory system.

The deputy from the Prosperous Armenia faction Vardan Bostanjyan also expressed his opinion that a system should be created, which would provide the living standard of the elderly people.

Presenting the view of the RPA faction the Committee Chairman Hakob Hakobyan noticed that this was a package promoting the economic growth.

Summing up the discussions the head of the Committee noted that the meeting was effective and a number of issues were specified. The framework of the participants of the new system, the state guarantees were specified, and the main risks were assessed. The Committee Chairman occasions for touching upon the packages would be created in the nearest future.