Armenian poll-leaders set out agenda

The leaders of the Unity bloc, which is poll favourite to win
the 30th May parliamentary elections in Armenia, have said
solving unemployment will be their priority. On their last
major campaign visit, to Shirak Region in northern Armenia,
People's Party leader Karen Demirchyan said farms and firms
that offered to boost output and create jobs would receive tax
breaks and credits. He said free healthcare and schooling would
be extended to all districts, and that Unity would seek to
prosecute officials of the Armenian Pan-National Movement
government of 1991-1998 for their policies, which he said had
left Armenia in a lamentable state. Republican Party leader and
Defence Minister Vazgen Sarkisyan said the army, now equipped
with missiles, needed a strong economy as a support. The
following is the text of a report by the Armenian news agency
Snark//

Yerevan, 26th May: The leaders of the Unity bloc, Armenian
Defence Minister Vazgen Sarkisyan (Republican Party) and former
presidential candidate Karen Demirchyan (People's Party),
selected Shirak Region as the final point of their meetings
with voters during the election campaign.
Demirchyan said that earlier the bloc's leaders had
managed to meet over 400,000 voters. The People's Party leader
said the election campaign had allowed him to obtain a better
knowledge of the state of Armenian society, which can described
only as lamentable. The unemployed make up 70 per cent of the
Armenian population. The unemployment level is very high among
the youth.

Demirchyan promised the residents in Ashotsk, Amasia,
Gyumri and other settlements in Shirak Region that the solution
of the unemployment problem would be the priority if the bloc
won the elections. Laws providing tax breaks for businessmen
who expand output and create additional jobs will be passed. In
addition, privileges, including ones for receiving credits,
will be given to farmers. Demirchyan believes that any state
should first of all be able to provide for itself and after
that think about higher aims. The state is obliged to help
farmers in this. Particularly through the creation of
state-mechanized columns [tractors, combine harvesters, etc]
which will help peasants to work the farm land at a low cost.
The question of the public's lost deposits should also be
settled at the legislative level. And this should be done
gradually, as Armenia's economy develops. In the first phase
deposits should be given back to people from the older
generation, the PPA leader thinks. The bloc also intends to
revise electricity tariffs and make them accord as closely to
subscribers' means as possible. The bloc also intends to focus
on the issues of putting large plants into operation.
Demirchyan said a great role in this belongs to the state,
which should not only pay more serious attention to state
enterprises but also create a favourable working regime for
them.

Demirchyan recalled once more that the free and fair
elections should be held on 30th May, as the people's vote of
confidence in the authorities depended on this. Demirchyan said
that at present the authorities lead separate existences.
"There is a need to turn to the people, to unite our efforts in
the name of the prosperity of the country, and then our success
will be guaranteed," Demirchyan declared. He insisted on
bringing to account the people responsible for the current
state of the nation.

In the social sphere, the bloc intends to pay serious
attention to health and education. Every district centre in
Armenia will have a free-of-charge clinic, and the best
building in every village will be given for a school,
Demirchyan promised.

Defence Minister Vazgen Sarkisyan recalled that in the
initial period of the formation of the Armenian National Army
soldiers were artmed with rifles and now the country has
powerful missiles. Now everything possible should be done to
enhance the economy, Sarkisyan said. "A strong army cannot be
maintained without a strong economy," the defence minister said
.
Source: Snark news agency, Yerevan, in Russian 0700 gmt 26 May 99
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