Government Proposes to Set Minimum Wage at 68,000 Drams

The government today approved the draft law on amendments to the "Law on Minimum Monthly Wage" during its meeting.

Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Gemafin Gasparyan presented the draft put forward by the members of the National Assembly from the "My Step" faction, Varazadat Karapetyan and Babken Tunyan, which proposed to set the minimum wage at 63,000 drams instead of the previous 55,000. However, the government suggests setting it at 68,000 drams.

The deputy minister outlined the calculation bases, emphasizing the minimum consumer basket. "We will directly change the salaries of 45,000 employees in the private and public sectors who receive the minimum wage, which will increase by about 23-24 percent," he stated.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also highlighted the importance of protecting workers' rights, noting that concerns were raised by members of the government that employers might have opportunities to maneuver regarding working hours, which should also be regulated by law to prevent such possibilities.

This matter will be presented for discussion in the National Assembly.