Minister Tandilyan steps down

Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia Mane Tandilyan has announced about resignation. She made a note on her Facebook page.

“During yesterday’s Cabinet meeting the issue of full induction of Mandatory Funded Pension System was discussed. You know my position on the component of “mandatory” which I expressed years ago. Being appointed Minister of Labor and Social Affairs I expressed my position on suspending the full induction of the “mandatory” component by a year and to amend the system based on public debates, creating different attractive solutions for the beneficiaries. This path also had some complications, but I have expressed readiness to initiate that work and to carry out large-scale works with the public to find the best solution acceptable for the public.

After long debates it became clear that my proposal does not enjoy the support of the Cabinet. Instead, another option was presented, which was approved at the Cabinet meeting.

This issue is of paramount importance to me. The component of “mandatory” had no and now has no public support, and its reasons are numerous. It has social, legal, political and systematic problems and I see no way for fully inducting the component of “mandatory” without discussing it with the public, discovering the problems and finding joint and acceptable solutions. I hoped that the new Government would take a new path of solving this issue. The imperative methods of solving issues characteristic of the previous authorities are not acceptable for me.

Dear compatriots, I have been against the mandatory funded system and together with my supporters I organized protests and now again I think that the mandatory system should include the principle of free expression of will and opportunity to make a choice, given the risks and longevity of the system.

With this note my powers as the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs are terminated, which were just tools for serving the citizens of Armenia.

I wish the present Cabinet numerous achievements and farsightedness for the benefit of democratic Armenia.

Taking into account the fact that I became a Cabinet member as a member of “Bright Armenia” party, I also suspend my membership to the party, resolutely supporting my friends in creating bright Armenia.

Starting from today I will continue to watchfully follow all the political developments as a citizen, sparing no efforts for the strengthening of the Armenian statehood”.