In 5 years Kocharian creates 2 million jobs

RFE/RL Armenia Report - 10/25/2005

PRESS REVIEW

`When President Robert Kocharian stated in 2002 that he had created 40,000 new jobs in Armenia, to many this figure appeared strange and unreal,' `Haykakan Zhamanak' reminds. `Now, however, it turns out that this figure does not correspond to the reality not due to having been inflated, but due to having been understated, because the number of jobs created over the last few years is more than two million.'

The paper says this is by no means an exaggeration, explaining: `The years of Kocharian's power have shown to us all that going to elections, participating in the elections of the president, members of parliament, prefects or local council members is not a civil duty, but a job for which every voter is paid. `Of course, these jobs created by Kocharian also have a shortcoming. This work is not permanent, and the salary within five years makes 10,000 to 25,000 drams.'

Meanwhile, the paper thinks that the advantage of these jobs is that `our voters going to work use free transportation.' `Haykakan Zhamanak's' conclusion is as follows: `If some people have inexhaustible reserves of oil or gas, then our people have an inexhaustible reserve of votes, and it is this resource that can bring us to a new level of development.'