MP: Armenia on threshold of demographic crisis

According to international reports and statistical data, Armenia is on the threshold of a demographic crisis, Armenian Council of the Republican Party MP Artur Tovmasyan said.

"When Armenia was Sovietised in 1920-1921, its population was about 720,000; the republic crossed the threshold of 1 million just 10 years later, in 1930. Between 1920-1991, Armenia's population increased 4.9 times, reaching 3.57 million. If the Soviet Union had not collapsed conspiratorially, according to forecasts made in 1976, Armenia's population should have reached 4.650 million by 2000,” the MP said, Caliber.Az reports with reference to Armenian media.

According to him, over the past 30 years, Armenia's population has decreased from 800,000-1 million people to 500,000 in 1991-1994 alone due to the Karabakh war, economic blockade, and energy crisis.

"Soviet Armenia, by creating favourable conditions and taking care of parents to raise and educate the younger generation, contributed to demographic growth.

Today, the state does not create favourable conditions and does not encourage young people to marry, create a family and have children, moreover, the state considers parents only as a source of income, knowing well the attitude and love of Armenian parents to the child, forces them to take money with interest to pay for education.

However, this year some 350 state-funded and 8764 paid places remained vacant in higher educational institutions [2156 students, 454 of which were state-funded and 1702 paid, enrolled in Yerevan State University. There were 349 vacant places, 41 of which were unpaid and 308 paid]. The people who do not strive for education are doomed to slavery, this is our tragedy, the destruction begins with this,” he added.

The MP underlined that the demography of Armenia is facing a serious problem, Armenia is one of the countries with an ageing population.

“According to the UN definition, the population of a country where the number of people aged 65 and older exceeds 7 per cent of the total population is considered elderly; in Armenia, this figure is 11-12 per cent. According to international reports and statistical data, Armenia is on the threshold of a demographic crisis. And how should young people create families with pockets full of holes?" Tovmasyan questioned.