YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–"It is impossible to solve Armenia’s social problems unless we establish a strategy for social policies," chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for Social Issues–Health Care and Ecology–Gegham Gharibjanyan–said.
He added there are about 20,000 unmarried mothers in Armenia today. "If we add that number to the mothers who leave the country to earn a living–then who raises their children? This results in a weak family bond which has almost become acceptable in our society," Gharibjanyan said.
Gharibjanyan also said that although there are officially 169,000 people who are unemployed in Armenia–800,000 of the 1,700,000 able-bodied citizens do not work for one reason or another.
According to Gharibjanyan–a different strategy is also needed in the field of health care. He regretted that in accordance with the privatization law–social and health care establishmen’s are equated to economic enterprises. In particular–the list of enterprises to be privatized also include such medical establishmen’s as the institutes of balneology–the Republican eye clinic and the second children’s hospital.
Gharibjanyan said it is necessary to adopt a conservation act for Sevan Lake–because "in the 21st century countries having drinking water will be viewed as more important than those having oil and gas."