Your trusted source

Emigration is Armenia’s “bleeding wound” that the government is trying to tackle, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview Shant TV company.

He stated the numbers of the emigration levels released by opposition figures are exaggerated, at the same time documenting it is a real problem for the country. 

“Emigration is indeed our bleeding wound. It is very perilous and painful for us. I am not saying to justify [it], but we must take into account that emigration is characteristic not only to Armenia, but also to all the other post-Soviet counties, Eastern and even Western Europe,” he said.

“Migration processes are ever-going. Yes, we are facing additional problems due to some circumstances. Yes, it is a problem, and we are trying to settle it. I have announced and I am confident that it is realistic to have a population of 4 million by 2040.”

Sargsyan, who was elected Armenia’s new prime minister by the parliamentary majority on 17 April, said that public discussions on Armenia’s development strategy until 2030 will kick off in next few weeks, expressing conviction the figures presented by the document will “at least convince everyone that Armenia is heading towards that main indicator”.

“The government has already planned, and I think, in a few weeks we will make some amendments to the Tax Code to reduce the income tax. It is also planned to increase pensions and minimum salary most probably starting from 1 January,” he said, stating reforms do not happen instantly, and Armenia recorded positive dynamics over the past 25-26 years given the numerous challenges faced by the country's authorities during that period.