“There is no area in Armenia that does not need to undergo revolutionary developments, breakthroughs or radical transformations,” writes “Zhamanak.” “One only has to see what active processes are unfolding around Armenia in order to realize just how much Armenia has lagged behind them. Even if there is a sincere desire to keep up with them Armenia does not have resources needed for that because the gap between us and the outside world is becoming critical.” Armenia, the paper claims, is in urgent need of a “revolution.”
This is not necessarily regime change, continues “Zhamanak.” “It is the government that is obliged to carry out a revolution in Armenia today. In all areas,” it says.
Vartan Bostanjian, an economist and former politician, tells “Hayots Ashkhar” that a 10 percent rise in the price of electricity in Armenia, effective from August 1, will push up the cost of other goods and services and thereby suppress economic activity in the country. “That will definitely have an impact,” he says. “A negative impact. Especially considering the fact that the society is not fighting for its rights. It is skeptical and too slow to act. That [electricity price rise] will lead manufacturers and service providers to raise the prices of their goods and services … And that will reduce the number of more or less solvent people.”
Bostanjian goes on to accuse tax authorities of “strangling” businesses with frequent inspections and audits. “They often succumb to that pressure and stop their operations,” he says. “As if that was not enough, inflation and its consequences also hit entrepreneurs hard because they worsen business conditions.”
(Tigran Avetisian)