Current Condition of Armenia

[Mos]

Well, I must say this is a rather pessimistic post. The bottom line is, like it or not, our country is in a very sad economic state. Few years ago things were looking better, but things have worsened over last few years. People are sick of not finding well paying jobs, being pressured and threatened by taxes and regulations that are often over the top by the government, and as a result many are leaving.

Most other are able to get by with money sent over by diasporan armenians, and if it was not for that money, our situation would be much more grave. I hear stories of all the apartments that are for sale in Yerevan, and when you go, at every apartment there are suitcases, and people are getting ready to leave the country. I can attest also by the experiences of my relatives and friends.

A thing on many people's minds is how to get out of Armenia, not how to improve or change, but how to get out. People are have no hope in the government and are very pessimistic in the future, and especially the government and president.

It's near impossible to succeed with your own business if you don't have the right connections, and with the gap between the oligarchic elite class and the lower class is very wide, with little chance of jumping into that elite class. The morale of our people is at a low, especially regarding the state of the republic.

What must be done to save our country from this sorry state, to revitalise economy, to make more jobs available to people, and protect rights of workers? To cut down on monopolies and encourage private businesses? And to limit heavily the influence of big business and oligarchs on government? And most importantly, to cut down on the corruption plaguing our country, and make the government and police respectable to the people. And finally, to make an army a place people want to serve, not a place people do anything to evade.

We cannot let our country continue in this way, or else the results will be disastrous.

[levon]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Well, I must say this is a rather pessimistic post. The bottom line is, like it or not, our country is in a very sad economic state. Few years ago things were looking better, but things have worsened over last few years. People are sick of not finding well paying jobs, being pressured and threatened by taxes and regulations that are often over the top by the government, and as a result many are leaving.

Most other are able to get by with money sent over by diasporan armenians, and if it was not for that money, our situation would be much more grave. I hear stories of all the apartments that are for sale in Yerevan, and when you go, at every apartment there are suitcases, and people are getting ready to leave the country. I can attest also by the experiences of my relatives and friends.

A thing on many people's minds is how to get out of Armenia, not how to improve or change, but how to get out. People are have no hope in the government and are very pessimistic in the future, and especially the government and president.

It's near impossible to succeed with your own business if you don't have the right connections, and with the gap between the oligarchic elite class and the lower class is very wide, with little chance of jumping into that elite class. The morale of our people is at a low, especially regarding the state of the republic.

What must be done to save our country from this sorry state, to revitalise economy, to make more jobs available to people, and protect rights of workers? To cut down on monopolies and encourage private businesses? And to limit heavily the influence of big business and oligarchs on government? And most importantly, to cut down on the corruption plaguing our country, and make the government and police respectable to the people. And finally, to make an army a place people want to serve, not a place people do anything to evade.

We cannot let our country continue in this way, or else the results will be disastrous.

Quit your whining. What you think, life's candy?

[Mos]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Quit your whining. What you think, life's candy?

So should we sit on our hands, and ignore the problems that are plaguing our country? Ignore the problems that are contributing to heavy migration out of the country and making thousands of people's lives miserable? I'm talking about basics. Ensuring people have enough money to put food on the table, or have access to warm water and electricity. Or don't have send their daughters to other countries to work as prostitutes in order to get by. Or people can go to the army without fear they will be killed by their superiors or fellow soldiers.

What you suggest? Just sit and ignore all these problems that are weakening our country, and just make up ridiculous excuses like "oh life is hard"?

[Eddo211]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

So should we sit on our hands, and ignore the problems that are plaguing our country? Ignore the problems that are contributing to heavy migration out of the country and making thousands of people's lives miserable? I'm talking about basics. Ensuring people have enough money to put food on the table, or have access to warm water and electricity. Or don't have send their daughters to other countries to work as prostitutes in order to get by. Or people can go to the army without fear they will be killed by their superiors or fellow soldiers.

What you suggest? Just sit and ignore all these problems that are weakening our country, and just make up ridiculous excuses like "oh life is hard"?

Come down Mos, it takes time to work things out, especially for a young small republic lanlocked with no resources. It is not easy Armenia's situation you know.

[Mos]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Come down Mos, it takes time to work things out, especially for a young small republic lanlocked with no resources. It is not easy Armenia's situation you know.

I know that, we can't change our location or resources, but we can change some of the policies (and political culture) that are increasing these sad conditions on our people.

[Eddo211]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

There has already been many reforms in Armenia (do a google search), granted much more can be done but popular opinion states that Armenia is on the right trajectory (as slow as that is).

Remember normally in situations like these things get worst before they get better. Lets be optamistic and do all we can in our own capacity to help. There is no one single answer to Armenia's problems. Hopefully steps that are being taken by President Sarkisian and others will bring positive changes in the future.

[Mos]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

There has already been many reforms in Armenia (do a google search), granted much more can be done but popular opinion states that Armenia is on the right trajectory (as slow as that is).

Remember normally in situations like these things get worst before they get better. Lets be optamistic and do all we can in our own capacity to help. There is no one single answer to Armenia's problems. Hopefully steps that are being taken by President Sarkisian and others will bring positive changes in the future.

Recently there has been some regressive policies, like certain taxes on imports, that have heavily affected people. Policy is not going to solely change the situation, it also has to be changing the political culture that hampers progress, and more importantly lessen the gap between the elite and the rest of the people. And more importantly revitalise the work sector which is going downhill.

[Tali]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Well, why don't we brainstorm then?

I agree with you Mos that government is not enough to help your people. History alone can tell me that is a common thread throughout every country's beginnings. Eddo is right about one thing, typically, things get worse before better.

So, you mentioned we should "do more". What do you suggest? Do you perhaps know people there that have access to internet?

My idea is that we start building something like "etsy.com" for their country. Where it would allow us to also buy their products and such thus get more money to them. The more money and resources people develop, the faster the process starts. Further, another thing I see from history is that "guilds" or groups of people will from swap meets and such. Some do strictly trading: I need your lumber, I will trade you clothes I've made. Another variety is to literally build businesses together. Contract as units instead of individuals. It gets work done faster, allows acceptance of more jobs, and potentially can lead to the sprouting of various branches in different cities and so forth.

I'm considering going to volunteer over there once I have a working knowledge on at least Western Armenian.

What other ideas can you think of?

[Tali]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Quit your whining. What you think, life's candy?

Firstly, yes, actually. Life is candy. It's a box of chocolates and you'll never know what you're going to get.

Secondly, Mos wasn't whining. He was opening a discussion by being honest in one of its forms: passion. Therefore, outcry is the start of brainstorming. Brainstorming is the start of implementing. Change spawns from thoughts (thoughts typically spawn from passionate outcries like Mos'). It is better to have a voice heard, than to be oblivious to the silent tears of others' falling -- particularly those of your own people.

Besides, many people have an instinct to improve the world, not let it burn itself further. Will you join in or watch on the sideline then regret not participating at all? Your call.

[Armanen]

Re: Current Condition of Armenia

Well, why don't we brainstorm then?

I agree with you Mos that government is not enough to help your people. History alone can tell me that is a common thread throughout every country's beginnings. Eddo is right about one thing, typically, things get worse before better.

So, you mentioned we should "do more". What do you suggest? Do you perhaps know people there that have access to internet?

My idea is that we start building something like "etsy.com" for their country. Where it would allow us to also buy their products and such thus get more money to them. The more money and resources people develop, the faster the process starts. Further, another thing I see from history is that "guilds" or groups of people will from swap meets and such. Some do strictly trading: I need your lumber, I will trade you clothes I've made. Another variety is to literally build businesses together. Contract as units instead of individuals. It gets work done faster, allows acceptance of more jobs, and potentially can lead to the sprouting of various branches in different cities and so forth.

I'm considering going to volunteer over there once I have a working knowledge on at least Western Armenian.

What other ideas can you think of?

Not bad ideas, however, I think there is little the members of this forum can do at this point in time.

You do realize that Eastern Armenian is the dialect spoken in Armenia?