Under the initial proposal, announced by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in September and set to take effect in January 2027, the one-time 200,000-dram ($550) payment made to families with a deceased person would have been restricted to socially vulnerable families. The plan also included a 1,000-dram ($2.70) increase to the minimum pension.
The initiative drew strong criticism from both the opposition and the public.
On Monday, Minister of Labor and Welfare Arsen Torosian announced that the government has reversed course and will leave the current funeral allowance order unchanged. He stated that the decision followed extensive public debate and discussions with lawmakers, notably members of the ruling Civil Contract faction in the National Assembly.
“We have monitored public reactions and held discussions with our colleagues in the National Assembly, specifically with the Civil Contract faction last week, and have decided not to move forward with our initiative,” Torosian said in a video posted on Facebook.
“All citizens who are entitled to receive this benefit under the current regulations will continue to receive it, meaning no changes will be made in this regard, and the draft law that we had put up for public discussion will not be submitted to the National Assembly,” he added.
The controversial proposal had initially been introduced following a parliamentary election in which Pashinian’s party retained its majority. The government’s reversal comes amid heightened political tensions and speculation over potential snap elections driven by disputes with the opposition surrounding a constitutional referendum demanded by Azerbaijan.