Extraordinary Circumstances: Extraordinary Price Increases by Vahe Enfiadjyan

“Despite the fact that the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition of the Republic of Armenia does not accept that the prices of goods have increased in recent days, it must be noted that it is a fact for all of us that the prices of many products continue to rise continuously.” This was stated by the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Vahe Enfiadjyan, on his Facebook page.

“Among these are bread, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, and other essential goods. In particular, the price of ginger has seen an enormous increase, reaching 15,900 drams, whereas before the pandemic it was sold for around 2,200-2,500 drams. Indeed, this phenomenon further deepens the dire situation that has formed today. Currently, a large number of people have already been deprived of their incomes and are facing a serious crisis. In other words, day by day, there is a sharp decrease in both nominal and real incomes of people in our republic, which will undoubtedly lead to very adverse consequences.”

“In this situation, the primary task of the Government of Armenia should be, on the one hand, to prevent a sharp decline in people's incomes, and on the other hand, to do everything possible to maintain the purchasing power of people's real incomes, in other words, the purchasing capacity of salaries, pensions, and benefits. The only way to ensure that under these extraordinary circumstances is to maintain price stability, which currently has a strategic nature.”