Yesterday, November 24, at about 6:30 p.m. a group of pregnant women gathered in front of the presidential residence to protest against the RA law on "Temporary Unemployment Benefits". The fact that the president signed the law came up yesterday afternoon.

Despite that fact, current and future mothers gathered in front of the presidential residence and expressed their protest by holding banners claiming that the law is a dangerous step for the RA since it threatens population growth, promotes emigration of young professional potential as well as increases shadow salaries in economy.

Within the framework of the initiative in recent days a great number of letters were sent to the RA President requesting not to ratify the draft "Law on Temporary Unemployment Benefits". However, their addresses to the President were ignored.

How can this fact be interpreted? The situation is contradictory since, on the one hand, the Government had made childbirth aid (prenatal, natal and postnatal medical aid) free of charge (though it will be hard to find someone satisfied with the quality of the "state order" medical aid). On the other hand, a law is adopted that violates rights of pregnant women and mothers.

The problem is that pregnant women whose salary is more than 150,000 drams (by the new law 162,500 drams, ~ $430) after having a child and taking a 5 months leave will get less allowance than their 5-month salary. That is, each woman will face a dilemma - to have a child and grow it with a smaller aid from the state or keep the job with a high salary proceeding from the fact that today not only prices for food grow day by day, but the young family has to solve also the housing problem.

However, there is another possibility: why have a child in Armenia if one can emigrate and become a citizen of a European country or US or Canada and make use of all tempting offers that exist in those countries to boost the birthrate? Especially if we take into account the fact that Armenians are welcomed, for example, in Germany since Armenians living there integrate into the society more easily.

These problems are the responsibility of the Government and President, and citizens can only express their opinion and attitude. But when the President and the Government do not listen to the people's opinion, new problems arise with the biggest one being emigration.

Sofia Manukyan            

Source: www.hra.am