Christmas is approaching and this period is considered to be one of the toughest times for our population. The amount of expenses and lack of income aggravate the social tension. All transfers made from abroad soften the situation a bit, but another part of our population has to loan money from banks to ‘correct the situation’. However, those loans are only a temporary solution and their burden is felt during the following months.
This year surprises are awaiting our population, besides all costs. Increase of gas and electricity prices will be felt during post-holiday period. And if we add the system of mandatory pension charges, which will cut 5% off salaries, then the social tension in the country will reach to explosive level.
It will be naïve to suppose that the administration does not feel or does not predict this, hence it has its own battling mechanisms. The opportunity of leaving the country has always been one of the ways of softening the tension. This was the only mean that prevented social revolt.
And it is not by a chance that during the working group session of USA-Armenia, visa liberalization process has been launched, which will supposedly give a chance to our compatriots to leave the country for Russian Federation or any CIS country easily.
However, this explosive situation, which will be a result of price increase of gas, electricity, system of mandatory pension charges, and more possibly even price increase of public transportation, cannot be solved by emigration. Probably the next step of the administration will be guidance of accumulated energy towards the solution of one of these issues. Social blast will be excluded that time; people will be satisfied and will go back home from streets.
Accumulated impulses must be turned into political impetus. Sparks will not let themselves wait that time.
By: Sevak Mamyan
