Davit Gasparyan: State begs money from people (video)
“Like a beggar, the state has stretches out its hand, asking people for money. This is shameful,” writer Davit Gasparyan told journalists on November 16 commenting on government proposal that each employed citizen of Armenia should transfer AMD 1000 from his monthly salary to a special fund for the army needs. He says it would be much better if the payments were made on the basis of interests. “Those 1000 drams do not matter. If a soldier is ready to sacrifice his life, why should we save those 1000 drams? This is a matter of attitude. We should have a wealth tax disallowing two persons with high income and low income to pay the same amount. After all, we need to fight against the enormous size of shadow economy and direct the money to the armed forces and their families,” he said. Poet Razmik Davoyan, on the other hand, thinks that it is the duty of every citizen to pay those 1000 drams. He believes in the program offered by Vigen Sargsyan who promised that the paid sums would serve the purpose. Speaking about the visit of Archbishop Aram Ateshian to Armenia, Davit Gasparyan said ‘he is a traitor.’ “The best option for him is to hand in his resignation. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin should use its influence on him,” said the writer. Razmik Davoyan added in turn that the Armenian community in Turkey does not like the acting Armenian patriarch of Istanbul [Aram Ateshian]. “Many may think that he carries out his policy, trying to please the Turkish authorities and ensure his re-election, but we are against this tactics, this is not diplomacy. Etchmiadzin should not support his candidacy,” Mr Davoyan said.
