Does Serzh Sargsyan exert pressure? (video)
Mane Tandilyan, a member of Dem am (I am against) civil movement campaigning against the mandatory pension reform, says the CC hearing over the controversial reform is encouraging. “Today the Constitutional Court was disputing the constitutionality of the law and I expect an impartial decision from the Court,” she said. She believes that the Constitution remains the organic law in the country, and Serzh Sargsyan’s recent positive assessment of the mandatory pension system will not be viewed as pressure on the Court. “Otherwise, it will result in public disobedience,” said the activist. Under the pension reform, all working citizens in Armenia born after 1973 must pay five to ten percent of their salaries to privately owned pension funds in addition to other social security payments made by their employers. They will be able to use their accumulated funds when they reach the retirement age, which is set at 63 for both men and women in Armenia. These provisions are challenged by the pressure group and the four opposition parties in parliament-Armenian National Congress (HAK), Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), Heritage and Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK).
