2011 budget won't improve life in Armenia, says oppositionist

Armenia's State Budget for 2011 is a regular document that will not be implemented, and the government's "vicious policy" will continue, member of the opposition National Armenian Congress (ANC), Vardan Khachatryan has said.

The ANC does not see any grounds that the 2011 budget will improve living standards in Armenia.

"Even more, the government's vicious policy will continue; the prices will continue to rise and there will be no improvement in the economy," Khachatryan said at a news conference today.

"They will say that the economy is being diversified, but it will turn out at the end of the year that they have done nothing," he added.

Further, Khachatryan said that it is a good sign that the document got the backing of only 80% of MPs.

"That means there are people who have realized that the budget will give Armenia nothing," Khachatryan explained.

Raffik Petrosyan, member of the Republican Party of Armenia faction in parliament, who was also present at the press conference, did not share Khachatryan's view.

Particularly, he said that the 2011 budget was discussed in detail and will solve social issues, among others.

"It cannot be said that the budget is nothing, zero, etc. Truly, the budget has not yet reached the level we would like to, but it should not be vilified," said Petrosyan.

Further, he mentioned that the government is increasing expenditures for 2011, while the financial-economic crisis has not been fully overcome yet in Armenia.