Alternative financing of Opera House staff to be discussed

The deputy culture minister of Armenia again confirmed today that salaries of the creative staff of National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre after Spendiarian were raised by 20% in January 2014, the correspondent of Aysor.am was informed by the press service of Ministry of Culture.

“Deputy Culture Minister Arthur Poghosian today had a working meeting with the creative staff of National Opera and Ballet Theatre after A. Spendiarian. At the meeting A. Poghosian discussed issues related to the introduction of the compulsory pension system in Armenia and gave explanations.

Then the deputy minister confirmed once against the decision about raising the salaries of the theatre’s creative staff by 20% on January 1, 2014. He said that the staff will receive their increased salaries after the financial-economic unit of the theatre finishes the re-calculation. Arthur Poghosian also announced that it is planned to raise salaries of cultural workers on July 1, 2014 under the Law on the State Budget of the Republic of Armenia for 2014.

Arthur Poghosian also said that the issue of alternative financing of the creative and other programs of National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre after Spendiarian will be discussed again.

The management of the theatre was informed about the abovementioned problems duly,” the ministry said.

We would remind you that yesterday the theatre actors did not appear on the stage for the performance of Anush opera – instead, they joined the protest against the compulsory accumulative pension scheme being held outside the opera house.
The audience also had to leave the theatre. The spectators did not express discontent, quite the opposite, they applauded the staff’s decision. Ticket prices were refunded.