Some Parts Of Armenia Pensions Law Found Unconstitutional

The Constitutional Court has found several clauses of Armenia's controversial new law on pensions illegal.

The court chairman, Gagik Harutiunian said on April 2 the clauses in the law "that impose certain obligations to the citizens limit some of their rights guaranteed by the Constitution."

The court temporarily suspended the law in January, days after it came into force, after thousands protested against it in Yerevan.

According to the new law, citizens born after January 1, 1974, must contribute 5 percent of their monthly salaries to a pension fund and the government must match that contribution with another 5 percent, not to exceed 25,000 drams ($61) per month.

Hundreds protested against the law In Yerevan last month, saying the mandatory deduction will not guarantee a decent pension.

Police arrested about a dozen demonstrators then.
Based on reporting by newsarmenia.ru and Interfax