The condition is the following – he has to bring a paper that he will talk on behalf of Tigran Sargsyan or the president
Vardan Aramyan, the Minister of Finance, invited Vartan Oskanian, a Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) MP, to debate on economic policy through his Facebook page. It was written after Vartan Oskanian had severely criticized the economic policy currently pursued.
Today Aravot inquired of Mr. Aramyan whether that invitation still stood and whether he could have a debate on economic issues and with whom, in particular, he would like and could have a debate with. He replied that the invitation undoubtedly stood and he would have a debate with any politician – Vartan Oskanian, Hrant Bagratyan, “But only on one condition – we will not be engaged in political populism; we will just have a professional discussion, just on indexes, please. If, for example, Hrant Bagratyan or Oskanian avoids populist discussions, say, with those same words, lofty words… we just have a purely professional discussion, talk to each other. Let us see where it is that they say there is no economic improvement. How come there is none? Numbers testify to that. Compare with 2009. You know, folks, what the problem is, say, ordinary people mustn’t know that GDP per capita and GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity are different things, they must not know, but when an economist does that and presents it to the people, it is not right. We are for healthy criticism. When an entrepreneur raises a question, we are for listening and understanding where the problem is, whether there really is a way to solve it. The economy is an organism, folks. When one wants to know whether the woman is beautiful or not, one cannot only point at her legs and say that she is ugly, we should look at the whole picture and judge. It is just one verse of the song. In the same way, they say that the export structure is the same now as it was in 2008. People say that in 2008, it was a result of the Cabinet action plan that we had a 14.1% growth, but folks, if a man can lift 100kg today, he cannot get tired within the next two days, time is needed, he must eat poorly and so on. Within 1-2 years he will be exhausted, 100kg will become 60kg or 40kg, the economy cannot be exhausted within a year. I am talking numbers with them. I say where was our biggest downturn, where was 42% – in construction. From 14.1% to 10.5% was in construction, subtract and you will see what the result is, our downturn was 3.6%. A big problem, where did it come from – in 2000, the capital construction was only 10% and in 2008, it was 25%. Wasn’t it obvious that it gained momentum? Or they say why the people leave the country. How many people were here in construction? I assure you, the people who leave have lost their jobs here.”
During a conversation with Aravot, Hrant Bagratyan, an Armenian National Congress (ANC) MP, responded to Aramyan’s invitation to debate in the following manner, “As it is known, in March-April, 2012, I invited Serzh Sargsyan – regarding his ‘economic’ speech at the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) congress – and Tigran Sargsyan – regarding the RPA election program – to debate. That was the demand of all mass media almost without exceptions. One only has to mention that if we count the number of citizens who have read my first letter addressed toS. Sargsyan, according to websites, it is 120000 people. So for those 120000, I as a former Prime Minister, one of the leaders of the opposition invited them to debate, following all rules of rank and appropriateness. The given mister, Aramyan, knowing what the bottom line is, has stepped forward under his bosses’ pressure as if don’t bother by bosses, come and debate with me. In reality, we are dealing with Tigran Sargsyan who is represented by Vardan Aramyan. However, I have to make you happy, Aramyan. I agree. Certainly, our ‘debate’ will take place after Serzh or Tigran Sargsyan makes a statement that you represent them. It will take place despite the fact that you labeled me ‘political populist’ in your statement, according to the interview with Aravot. Whereas the ‘analyses’ made by you, I should say Tigran Sargsyan, in the presence of journalists today, August 22, can be described as no more than absolute nonsense. Anyway, either bring a paper that you represent them – then we will have a ‘debate’ – or ask the Prime Minister for permission to come to the National Assembly on Wednesdays and debate.”
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Hripsime JEBEJYAN
