Prime Minister Pashinyan Holds Town Hall Meeting in NY

The prime minister pointed out that the revenue of the state has been increased by 120 million dollars, allowing immediate actions to help the populace, such as pension increases, and raises in the salaries of officers and contract employees serving in the armed forces, teachers, and, starting on October 1, firemen and forest rangers. The international reserves of the third Armenian republic are at historic highs at the moment. Over the last year and a half, over 65,000 new workers have been registered as part of Armenia’s labor force. Some used to be working in the black market off the books, while others are actually completely new workers.

The government is also trying to connect unfilled jobs with job seekers, as there seems to be a disconnect between the two, Pashinyan said. It is also trying to prepare local specialists in fields which otherwise need to import them from abroad. He gave the example of strawberry production, in which European specialists are being paid ten times the range of Armenian salaries because no Armenian specialists are available.

However, Pashinyan also declared that some Armenians still prefer not to work and receive social assistance. He gave the example of a fire damaging a huge freezer complex and leading to hundreds of tons of meat spoiling. In order to eliminate this health hazard, the government offered relatively high payments of 5,000 or even 10,000 dram per day for this unpleasant physical labor, but no one wanted to do it. Eventually, Indians had to be hired.

The inevitable question on mining at Amulsar was asked. Pashinyan reasserted his previous statements that at present, the government has no basis on which to stop operations. It might have such a basis at the next moment, tomorrow, or in a month—or maybe it will not, he said. He said that it was wrong to demonize mining. The economy of many advanced states like the US has been built on mining. Substantial or fundamental [eakan] injury must be prevented to people’s lives, but, he added, all health issues cannot be completely eliminated. If not, he said, we must stop using cars and close factories too, since these cause health problems for some. Even buildings like that of the Armenian Diocesan complex are environmental problems, he said, because they use space that could have been a site for wildlife and flora.

Pashinyan concluded that “We must use our resources in the maximum way for the development of our country.”

There were many personal issues raised by questioners, who evidently attempted to obtain publicly solutions from the prime minister that were unattainable in their prior efforts. These issues ranged from private business and technological issues and proposals, to a recent student wanting to work longer in the US before honoring his agreement to return to work two years in Armenia immediately after graduation.

In response to a question about the youth, a perennial Armenian concern, Pashinyan recommended they live at least one month a year in Armenia, apply for Armenian (dual) citizenship, and buy a home or open a business in Armenia if possible. He said these would be bridges tying them to Armenia, along with spiritual or emotional connection. Most important, he added, would be to marry an Armenian.

In addition, when a young student who has only been studying Armenian for 5 months and went to Armenia this year for the first time asked a question in his newly acquired Armenian about infrastructure in Armenia, Pashinyan thanked him for serving as a concrete example that the Armenian revolution inspired people to become more closer to their roots.

There is a partial video of the event, starting around 8 minutes after its commencement, available on YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=382&v=G1mnCpyfvyg).