Raise of amount of one-time allowance for birth of second child no solution to demographic issue – Tadevos Avetsiyan

The raise of one-time allowance to 150,000 AMD for the birth of the second child is a positive step by the state, former Deputy Labor and Social Affairs Minister, ARF-D economic projects’ coordinator Tadevos Avetsiyan said in an interview with Aysor.am.

Currently the families get 50,000 AMD for the birth of the second child.

According to him, though, it will not promote the growth of birth rate and improve the demographic situation of the country.

“The demographic situation in Armenia raises concerns and in such conditions one or two approaches neither will have wide-scale impact nor solve the demographic issues,” Avetisyan told Aysor.am.

He stressed that the state must implement complex programs for the reduction of unemployment rate, promotion of birth rate.

The provision of additional 100,000 will not have an impact on the decision of people to have the second child. “The reasons are clear. Families postpone the birth of the second child due to their financial problems. These are global issues and the additional sum will not have any major impact on the decision of the people,” Avetisyan said.

The ARF-D member said it is time to have a strategy addressed to the improvement of the demographic situation. “The birth of the second child must be as an additional opportunity for the families to improve their welfare and not raise additional issues. The birth of each child is a big opportunity and positive factor for the solution of demographic issues,” he stressed.

Referring to the statement of the Labor and Social Affairs Minister Mane Tandilyan about raising the amount of minimal pensions, the former official described it as a “right decision”.

“I think it is a right approach to first raise the amount of minimal pensions,” he stressed.