ArmInfo. Armenia will now pay pensions exclusively by bank transfer. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan gave the order at a government meeting on November 6. Pashinyan noted that a decision had previously been made to pay pensions in cash to citizens over 75. However, he still can't understand why, especially since he recently discovered that pension delivery people are charging 500 drams for their "services."
"They say that pensioners over 85 can't leave their homes. I'm telling you, even better, they won't have to leave their homes; the card is right there, and the money is deposited," Pashinyan said.
"You have two weeks. All pensioners must receive their pensions only electronically," the prime minister insisted. Shirak Region Governor David Arushanyan, in turn, noted that relatives of elderly people with mobility issues most often complain about difficulties obtaining bank cards. He added that banks should be asked to visit these pensioners to issue cards. In response, Pashinyan stated that there are only a few thousand such pensioners, and their issue can be resolved in various ways.
"Starting January 1, there will be no paper money circulation for pensions. Everyone, without exception, must receive them only electronically," Pashinyan noted.
The prime minister believes this is the best solution for pensioners with mobility issues. Previously, they couldn't leave the house or go to the store, and had to ask someone else to do it for them, handing them paper money and risking being cheated. Now, it will be easier to control their expenses, plus they can even receive refunds on non-cash purchases. As a reminder, the cashback program for pensioners and benefit recipients paying with bank cards was extended in 2025. The program was launched in July 2022. All pensioners who used their cards to purchase goods and services received a 10% cashback, up to a maximum of 5,000 drams. Starting in October 2024, the cashback amount on non-cash purchases was increased to 12%, or up to 6,000 drams.
