Hrant Bagratyan: You have found a warm arm-chair for your back and you do not want to move from your seat (video)
During the discussion of Central Bank's monetary policy program for 2015, MIkael Melkumyan, a lawmaker from the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), said he was not interested in statistics about economic growth regularly presented by the CB. “I am interested in the actual economic growth, " he said. He then presented the economic indicators of 2009 which showed that ‘the economic growth in the country has decreased and equaled the figures of 2010.’ I suggest to the Prime Minister and the government to reconsider the current policy and, for example, provide a dramatic increase in the minimum wage, otherwise we will not be able to solve the existing challenges with the standard tools,” the lawmaker said. Before starting his speech, Hrant Bagratyan, a lawmaker representing the Armenian National Congress (HAK) faction, addressed to NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan. “” “I blame you because it is already the third year the CB Chairman has not shown up in parliament or submitted any document. We are not kids and we understand that you, Mr Sahakyan, execute the orders of Serzh Sargsyan who does not want the CB Chairman to come to the National Assembly as he is not well informed of the issue. Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, Nerses Yeritsyan, comes instead of the CB Chairman but he cannot answer our questions either. Galust Sahakyan tried to justify himself by saying, “I would like the CB Chairman to come…” Continuing his speech, Mr Baghratyan said ‘Yeritsyan distorted the facts yesterday.’ “It turns out I said we should increase the supply of money, which would lead to inflation. I have been repeating and shouting for many years that if you want to increase the supply of money, you should add government securities. Young man (Baghratyan said addressing Yeritsyan) I have already given my consent to send you and Vache Gabrielyan to the Boston-based currency fund for training. Which books can I recommend you now? I also studied in the Soviet times like you. We have to teach you many things and I think we shall do it until the end of our life,” the opposition lawmaker said. Then Bagratyan’s anger reached its peak. “Mr Yeristyan, do not poison the atmosphere in parliament with your lies. Imagine you have a 10-ton swimming pool filled with a bucket of mud. Our economy is that swimming pool and you only need to clean it. You have found a warm arm-chair for your back and you do not want to move from your seat. What is your role if you do not want to send a single penny to the budget, if you really care for the Armenian currency so much, then do not offer dollar loans. I do not understand why we should we get annoyed by reading such programs. I have irrefutable arguments,” he said. “Mr Bagratyan is experienced but we learn from our own mistakes,” Galust Sahakyan said in reply.
