The daily newspaper "Fact" writes:
The pre-election socio-economic flare-ups have long and quickly died down. Although, why only socio-economic? Emotional and demonstrative manifestations have also died down. When was the last time Nikol Pashinyan, for example, showed the public "a finger of affection". And what about his intelligence? The elections are over a long time ago. He himself has retained his position and power, at least with 49 percent of the vote. He has sent almost all opposition leaders to prison by direct order. But in this reflection we will not delve into political ups and downs and muddy waves. On the contrary, let us observe very earthly, even everyday realities and record that life has returned to its usual "natural course".
That is, the authorities, headed by Pashinyan, no longer "love you all", nor do they bow down to you all. And in general, they are not at all interested in the people. Although, this last one, sorry, we exaggerated a little, we got heated, as they say. No, Pashinyan and his government are interested in you, dear compatriots, but you are interesting... exclusively as a "fine material" and an object of tax, inflation, sorry, "milking". Let's go back in time for a moment to the pre-election period. You see, the budget did not provide for an increase in pensions. Moreover, Pashinyan himself said (you will remember) that if pensions were increased a little, the budget would have an unbridgeable gap, in addition, he assured that pensioners do not know what to spend the possible additional amount on. Yes, but on the eve of the elections he increased pensions by 10 thousand drams.
Then it should have been clear, and it turned out, that as a result of this increase, a large number of compatriots were deprived of social security benefits. The reasoning was very prosaic: their incomes increased from the increase in pensions, so goodbye to the benefit. And it turned out that people who were unexpectedly happy with the increase in pensions suffered more damage. This is not counting the increased prices, the price increases. And if we count that too, it becomes even more obvious that the “surprise” increase in pensions was just a cheap electoral bribe and was a purely pre-election phenomenon. Yes, but if the government can “get back” the increased 10,000 drams in other ways, then those who voted for Pashinyan and his CP for that 10,000 cannot take back their “votes”. Unless, of course, they follow the same Pashinyan's practical advice: "If you don't like it, make a revolution." But let's continue, especially since the issue is not just about pensions.
Complaints and grumblings about the so-called "free healthcare" are becoming more and more frequent. Naturally, more and more problems are arising. "Free" is gradually turning into a co-payment, and there is no doubt that it will become fully paid over time.
However, it is clear that not everything is smooth in this period following the elections with regard to that innovation that brought votes to Pashinyan, if there is any smooth circumstance at all. Next: Pashinyan hinted that water could soon become more expensive. In other words, the price of water could increase significantly. “People think, ‘Well, it’s water, what’s so special about it?’” Today, water tariffs in Armenia express our attitude towards water. We live in Armenia, which has a Soviet trajectory, where it was recorded that water is free or very cheap, but water has never been free or very cheap... First, we need to determine an objective tariff and reflect on which part of that tariff, who should pay and how,” Nikol Pashinyan literally said. What does this mean? This practically means that, according to the head of the CP, the price of water is not good, it needs to be reviewed, it is very cheap, why should water be so cheap? Oh, again. By the way, let's add: but the air? In other words, why is it free?
Of course, we live in fairy-tale conditions, which are described in Rodari's fairy tale "The Adventures of Cipollino". Do you remember: "After we raised the air tax, you started breathing less..., it's annoying," Prince Lemon shouted at his subjects. Okay, let's leave Pashinyan alone for a moment. Gianni Rodari too. Another scoundrel declares that Armenia will not be destroyed, if the price of gas rises sharply, the people will pay, and they will have money. Where he will get it from is unknown. After all, the people, unlike the scoundrels, are not choked with bonuses. But, as we understood, it doesn't work without Pashinyan, the scoundrels cannot "outrun" their boss.
And so, let's get back to Pashinyan. Do you remember that they brought several tankers of gasoline from Azerbaijan (some commentators characterized it as Aliyev's own pre-election support). Do you remember that Pashinyan used to go to gas stations, wanting to clarify, or rather, to extract words from the employees, whether "gasoline has become cheaper, people?" Yes, he would ask, has it gone down, has the price of gasoline gone down... Then he would convince them to say that if it hasn't gone down, at least it hasn't gone up. Yes, the Minister of Economy was also falsifying the numbers, saying that in fact gasoline has become cheaper by so and so drams. And now, after the elections, a liter of gasoline has become more expensive by an average of 70-80 drams (in some cases, even by up to 100 drams). This is about 20 percent. And it's getting more expensive. And everything is getting more expensive. And it will still get more expensive. But Pashinyan is definitely not going to the gas station to “cheer up” at the sign with the increased prices. What about the increased gasoline? What about the users of the increased gasoline? Okay, let’s mentally rewind for a moment and discuss an extremely simple, even primitive question in a very simple way: if before the elections, during the pre-election period, Pashinyan and the KPA members had announced that after the elections, water prices would increase, benefits would be “cut,” gasoline would increase, and gas would sharply increase, would they have given in? Even if it was with administrative resources, stealing the votes of the entire faction. Would they have gotten that “bent back” 49 percent? Of course not. They wouldn’t have gotten elected, not 49, but 19 percent.
It is clear that the question is rhetorical. It is clear that normal societies form a government, elect a government not in order to live worse than before. But in our case, it seems that these "understandables" do not work. They are incomprehensible. A person openly declares that he will make new territorial concessions. There are those who rejoice in this. People are simply explained that the pension increase is for a short-term effect, to "pocket" their votes and emotions, they wave their hands and... then complain that they were "swindled", deprived of benefits, prices are rising, third, fourth. One can be surprised for a long time by this phenomenon, such manifestations.
One can compose more artistic and eloquent expressions, but the ruthless reality requires a more dry recording. "I love you all" became a thing of the past, and "heart-shaped" became the hardest social blows.
