President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan met with the Public Council members.
As press-service of the president reported, Sargsyan was familiarized with a number of issues of concern to the public, discussed earlier in various committees of the Council, and the approaches of the Council to them, the results of the analysis and recommendations. In particular, reference was made to the issue of immigration, the causes contributing to that phenomenon, consequences and prevention opportunities; Armenia's accession process to Eurasian Economic Union, new possibilities for Armenia's development in case of accession; ensuring safety and strengthening of the border zone; mining industry and environmental issues; electricity price increase; funded pension system implementation issues; amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.
Members of the Council also voiced numerous proposals how to strengthen and provide security of the border zone. They offered to arm the population of the border villages, but the president was against it. He said, in particular, that residents of the border villages, able to hold a gun in their hands, can serve in the army as contract soldiers for a rather smart salary 150 thsd AMD ($380) for 15 days. "Moreover, they will have privileges. I think that we shall resolve the problem in such a way, and there is no need to arm population of the border villages",- Sargsyan said.