YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The average pension may reach 34-36 thousand drams in the next 3-4 years, member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), deputy of the RA National Assembly Mkrtich Minasian said at the October 5 press conference. "Our goal is to increase the average pension to the level of not food basket but sustenance basket which includes food, clothing, cost of services, etc," he noted. According to him, from January 1, 2008, pensions will grow by 60% to the average amount of 21,300 drams, reaching the minimum food basket. In response to the question of whether pensions will "come up with" rising prices of goods, M. Minasian replied that prices of essential goods such as flour, granulated sugar and vegetable oil are showing a growth tenndecy around the world and not only in Armenian market. "At any case, prices have not grown by 60%. The increase in pensions exceeds the price growth," he pointed out.

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