YEREVAN, APRIL 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The increase in tariffs for gas, water, electricity from April 1 are due to objective reasons, and communal services can no longer be used at cheaper prices. Vardan Bostanjian, a member of the RA National Assembly Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) faction, the Vice-Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Economic Issues, expressed such an opinion at the March 2 press conference. In his words, the increase in the above mentioned tariffs will result in price growth for almost all goods and foodstuffs, which, however, will not be done abruptly. "Society should give up the psychology, according to which someone should pay for the service we used," V. Bostanjian said adding that so far Armenia has been able to keep low the gas price as compared with European countries' tariffs, however it is already impossible today. In response to the question of how shall socially insecure families make communal payments the deputy said that families having insufficient incomes should use sparingly gas, electricity, and water. Asked why RA fixes a lower tariff for electricity to be exported to Turkey than for its own consumers V. Bostanjian said that if there is a "negative balance," there should also be the positive one, that is, electricity supplied to Armenia's people should be more expensive. "It is not a condemnable phenomenon, there is such practice in the world," the deputy said. V. Bostanjian said that in the context of the forthcoming Yerevan Council of Elders elections the economic difficulties will have some negative influence on political developments. However, he affirmed that those influences will not be extremely bad.

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