Mane Tandilyan: ‘I suspend my liabilities as the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs’

Dear fellow Armenians

The question of the full installation of mandatory funded pension system was being discussed in yesterday’s session of the Government. You are aware of my position which I have announced still years before on the mandatory component of the system. Being appointed as the Minister of Social Affairs, I have informed of my position on delaying the full installation of the mandatory component for 1 year and changing the system through public discussions for giving different solutions attractive to beneficiaries by having the principle of free expression of will in the core. This route also had certain complexities, but I have informed of my willingness to initiate those works, to carry out large-scale works including extensive layers of the public in order to find the best solution acceptable to the public. After long discussions it became clear that my proposal does not have the Government’s support. Another option was brought forth instead, which was represented and confirmed in the Government session. This issue is of a fundamental significance to me. Mandatory component did not and does not have the support of the public and its reasons are manifold and many-layered. It has both social and legal, both political and systemic issues, and without discussing it with the public, revealing the problems and finding joint and acceptable solutions I do not see a path for installing the mandatory component with its whole volume. I was hopeful that the new Government would take a new path of the solution of this issue. The imperative methods of problem solving by the former authorities are not acceptable to me.

Dear fellow Armenians, I was against the mandatory funded pension system, I organized protests against that system and now I find that the funded pensions system should have the principle of free expression of will and the opportunity of choice in the core taking into account its risks and the long-terms.     

With this publication I suspend my liabilities of the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs which were exceptionally tools for serving the citizens of the Republic of Armenia. I wish good luck and foresight to the benefit of democratic Armenia to the incumbent Government.

Taking into consideration the circumstance that I have become the member of Government as a member of “Bright Armenia” party, I suspend also my membership to the party with a certain will of supporting my friends in creating a bright Armenia. Today onward I will continue following all political developments attentively as a citizen already, making any effort to make the Armenian statehood sustain. Be happy, and peace to our borders…

Best regards,

Mane Tandilyan