Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that, for the first time, the average pension in Armenia has exceeded the minimum consumer basket.
Speaking during a campaign event of the Civil Contract party in Hrazdan, Pashinyan recalled that when he became prime minister in 2018, the minimum pension in the country was 16,000 drams.
According to the prime minister, that amount was not enough even to buy basic food products for a month.
Pashinyan said the government later increased the minimum pension from 16,000 to 32,000 drams, but noted that even this amount was initially insufficient to fully cover basic nutritional needs.
He stated that in 2022 the government aligned the minimum pension with the minimum food basket, ensuring that pensioners could at least afford basic monthly food expenses.
According to Pashinyan, the current minimum pension has reached 46,000 drams. He also highlighted an additional cashback program of up to 10,000 drams for non-cash purchases, bringing the possible total monthly amount to 56,000 drams.
The prime minister described the development as progress compared to previous years, while noting that the government still aims to further improve living standards for pensioners.
