Watch parliament special sitting live! (video)
The Armenian Parliament convenes a special sitting on June 18, with several government-proposed issues included in the agenda. Among them is the draft law on making amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses which was drafted by a working group formed by a March 27, 2014 decree of the Armenian Prime Minister. The others refer to the package of draft laws on making supplements and amendments to the RA Law on Funded Pensions and a number of other laws. The new bill suggests introduction of the so-called targeted social payments as a replacement of the current pension contributions. The new system will be applied for public sector employees starting July 1, 2014. It also gives a three-year period to people employed in the private sector. Under the bill, no compulsory pension contributions will be practiced, there will be target social benefits, with employees now making monthly payments equivalent to 5 percent of their gross wages. Opposition forces in parliament have already criticized the bill.
