“The Armenian authorities are relying on monopolies and falsifications,” said ANC representative, former PM Hrant Bagratyan during yesterday’s press-conference. He assured that the ANC, led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, would do their best to take the country out of this situation. According to Bagratyan, if the price of gas has not been increased in Armenia, it is due to the ANC only. “It is due to us that the monopolies have not destroyed everything. For the sake of the people we are helping the authorities not to be spoilt. If we did not struggle, the price of electricity would be increased to 50 from 30 drams,” he said. Concerning his work in the prime-minister’s position Hrant Bagratyan said that 70% of what he did was wrong and added the following: “The 30% is a very high rank because so far the authorities are below zero.” Concerning the social economic situation, particularly the inflation, he said that three things should be done to resist inflation in Armenia: raise monopolies, reduction of the price difference between retail and wholesale trade, and provision of an opportunity to small and medium businesses do the 70-80% of the trade circulation. According to Bagratyan, the authorities of Armenia have not done anything in this direction and are strengthening the positions of the opposition. He believes Serzh Sargsyan understands the economy worse than the other two presidents of Armenia and he should dismiss the prime-minister as soon as possible because the PM is speaking of the need to fight monopolies but fails to do anything in fact. “He is speaking about everything with journalists and the society but everything he says is a lie. Such things don’t happen in Egypt or Libya; they live better than us,” said Hrant Bagratyan. In answer to the finance minister’s comment that the economic situation is good he said, “Are you out of mind? What is good? Are you teasing people?” Concerning the current economic processes Hrant Bagratyan said, “It is an important phase in the history”. He means not only the demonstrations but the opposition’s struggle as well. In answer to a question whether extraordinary elections are possible he said that he could not forecast. “I know that we are living in days which will be written with golden letters in the history of Armenia in 2000 years. I believe in it,” he said and invited everybody to take part in the demonstration of the Armenian National Congress.
