PM angered over delays in social benefit payments, those responsible to be laid off in optimization
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today spoke about the delays of social benefit payments during the Cabinet meeting, demanding explanations from ministers.
“Mr. Prime Minister, the delay has several reasons, it concerns technical processes, but the development of payment lists have been completed in time,” said Zaruhi Batoyan, the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.
“It the problem solved at this moment? Did everyone receive [benefits]”, asked the PM.
Batoyan said the payment process began on March 29, as required by law, and HayPost, the postal operator, must complete the process within 10 days.
Batoyan said the process began in all districts, but there are technical problems.
Finance Minister Atom Janjughazyan weighed in, saying the issue is related with the process of electronic signatures.
He said governmental agencies have been notified months earlier to provide valid e-signatures, while only 3000 out of 10,000 governmental officials in-charge have provided them.
“So these ten thousand people are state servants, and why didn’t they fulfill the task? Ladies and gentlemen, why aren’t your subordinates implementing your tasks?’, the PM asked angrily.
“And when we say there are many idle people in the state administration system, they disagree”, the PM said.
Pashinyan ordered his Cabinet to provide him with a list of those officials who are responsible for the delays.
“When soon we will solve the optimization issue these people must be at the very top of the list who will be laid off as a result of optimization”, the PM said.
