Poverty in Armenia.

[HyeJinx1984]

My feeling is that what Armenia really needs is a strong industry that everyone from the upper class corporate people as well as the regular citizens can profit from. However... what industry can that be?

[MadHandle]

Armenia is currupt...bottom line. People with authority make all the money and the "unimportant' people are left begging for money. Plus, everything there is expensive...if your not a tourist(everything is lot cheaper for tourists with US incomes), and also people living there don't make enough money, thats gettin' looked over. When I was living there(6 years ago) doctors got payed 50-100$ US dollars a month and half the time they didn't even pay it on time. Now if 50-100$ is not enough for a doctor, what you think people with lower class jobs get?

Like I said everything there is currupt...thats right everything. You wanna go to the best college, then pay the guy in charge enough money...and your basically in or it helps to get you in. If you don't wanna go to the army when your 18, again, pay the people in charge money and they will give you a safe and comfortable position for your 2 years of military service. A cop pulls you over, half the time for no reason...other then that their wallets are empty(can't blame them though), you again pay them about 5000 drams and your good to go.

If you think poverty was high 5 years ago, then you should of been there when Armenia was at war with Azerbenjan. I mean people were sluggin' trees from parks to heat their houses, people makin money off illegal electrical connections, etc...that was the real poverty...I don't know about now though, I'm guessing its better then before.

When I was walkin' throught metro stations or whatever and see people begging for money...right, people just told me not to feel sorry for them cuz I would end up the same way, so you did what you did and ignore them. No one got annoyed....but if I go back soon then I'ma whip out whatever change I got in my wallet and give them somethin...and some just use the money to buy vodka, get drunk and sleep in the middle of the street...literally, ignore them.

[Anonymouse]

Armenia is currupt...bottom line. People with authority make all the money and the "unimportant' people are left begging for money. Plus, everything there is expensive...if your not a tourist(everything is lot cheaper for tourists with US incomes), and also people living there don't make enough money, thats gettin' looked over. When I was living there(6 years ago) doctors got payed 50-100$ US dollars a month and half the time they didn't even pay it on time. Now if 50-100$ is not enough for a doctor, what you think people with lower class jobs get?

Like I said everything there is currupt...thats right everything. You wanna go to the best college, then pay the guy in charge enough money...and your basically in or it helps to get you in. If you don't wanna go to the army when your 18, again, pay the people in charge money and they will give you a safe and comfortable position for your 2 years of military service. A cop pulls you over, half the time for no reason...other then that their wallets are empty(can't blame them though), you again pay them about 5000 drams and your good to go.

If you think poverty was high 5 years ago, then you should of been there when Armenia was at war with Azerbenjan. I mean people were sluggin' trees from parks to heat their houses, people makin money off illegal electrical connections, etc...that was the real poverty...I don't know about now though, I'm guessing its better then before.

When I was walkin' throught metro stations or whatever and see people begging for money...right, people just told me not to feel sorry for them cuz I would end up the same way, so you did what you did and ignore them. No one got annoyed....but if I go back soon then I'ma whip out whatever change I got in my wallet and give them somethin...and some just use the money to buy vodka, get drunk and sleep in the middle of the street...literally, ignore them.

War always has a tendency to destroy and create havoc and struggle. It is not a pretty thing, and who benefited in the end? Statists.

[jgm1975]

Armenians (and Russians for that matter) never had a democratic tradition. Sure there was a brief period of independence from 1918 to 1920 but that is nothing. Armenians have either lived under Imperial rule (Ottoman, Byzantine, Soviet) or under a monarchy. 1991 was really the beginning of Armenian democracy. By contrast, it took decades for Britain to move away from absolute monarchy, while France's first experience with democracy in 1789 resulted in the dictatorship of Napoleon and the restoration of monarchy. True democracy in France never came until 1871. And the US has been a democracy since the 18th century. All this to say that it will probably take a few decades before a real democracy with true rule of law is in place in Armenia, which is why we have all those corruption problems leading to severe poverty which resulted in a mass exodus (estimates are that almost 1,000,000 Armenians left Armenia since independence), although the migration issue seems to be getting better.

[JohnCanadian]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

I went to Armenia a few years ago and it was very disturbing I actually got upset with the poverty, dysfunction and the destruction the Soviet Union had on a beautiful country like Armenia. I had little kids start following me I got scared to say the least. In Canada we have poverty but nothing like this fortunately.

Armenia will get back on its feet it will take a long long time, but im sure Armenia has the strength and the gratefulness to become a prosperous country. I would like to go back to Armenia but I have to wait for my EU and Canadian Passport to come through which will take 2 years

Its a shame that Armenia is so desperately poor but I love the people they are angels.

[Pazooki]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

Read the rules.

Someone lock this thread.

Btw John you sound too into Armenia when your clearly Canadian.

Why is that?

[JohnCanadian]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

Read the rules.

Someone lock this thread.

Btw John you sound too into Armenia when your clearly Canadian.

Why is that?

Its because my family know a lot of Armenians, I was brought up around the Armenian culture. But I am Canadian born but my parents are Italian. I used to live in Armenia for a 4 years, I was working there as a Aid Worker. My parents worked in Armenia for 7 years doing Law Courts stuff and Investment stuff

I hope Im not being too much of a problem

[kujirasan]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

I do wish the poverty issue is handled by the Armenian Community in a responsible manner, and in well organised way that eliminates abuse and misuse, the situation here is treated as it is a joke, I was in Dubai and came across large number of Armenian women, who worked as prostitutes, they openly told me about harsh life back home, as well they pointed out that there be even large number working in Turkey, for centuries you people have longed for a homeland and home rule, now that you got it, surely you can do better than this, given that 9 million of you lives out side the country and have reasonable income, it is time that well educate Leaders in Diaspora seize the initiative, and take the reins from the ex soviet hacks, aprachiks, and odd few peasants from the former collective farms and restore the dignity that Armenians deserve, lost in the century of Islamo Turkish mire.

[Armanen]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

Deal with the poverty issue in turkey or wherever the hell you're from and let Armenians worry about their nation.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Poverty in Armenia.

The problem is capitalism and greed. Anytime there is money put into the country, its for government infrastructure and tourism. Armenia needs local businesses and industry that work in favour of the people. As far as natural resources go, Armenia does have deposits of copper, gold, silver, zinc, marble, granite. There is also said to be oil and natural gas deposits however it's too costly to exploit due to the mountainous terrain. How much of the profits from mining end up in the pockets of the people? Little to none since foreign workers and investors are the ones profiting. Armenian needs an ultra conservative government that works for the benefit of the people, promoting growth and wealth by bringing business into the country. Right now the government is just making a quick buck by selling out.