Yerevan /Mediamax/. About 70% of the polled Armenian citizens have experienced the negative influence of the economic crisis.

Mediamax informs that the data of the research, presented by “Economy and Values” Research Center in Yerevan today, evidence this fact. As the Chairman of the Center Manuk Hergnyan informed, the poll was realized among 1000 households and 60 small and large companies in Yerevan and marzes.

About 44% of the polled households noted reduction in incomes, 15% - untimely payment of salaries, 11% of the polled found themselves in forced idle state, and 7% - became unemployed.

Reduction of incomes was registered in the range of 11-25%, at that the largest level of reduction was registered in Yerevan, where 40% of the polled noted that the incomes of their families have reduced in the range of 26-50%.

The poll, realized among companies, showed that the crisis has already influenced the activity of 90% of those companies. The main problems in 70% of the enterprises are related to reduction of the volumes of sales, untimely payment for supplied goods; and among 35-40% of the enterprises, difficulties occurred in attracting financial means. About 40% of the polled enterprises plan reduction of workplaces, and reduction of salaries is expected in 20% of companies, especially in the sphere of industry.

About 80% of the polled entrepreneurs believe that the crisis in the course of 2009 will become worse.

The complete text of the research by “Economy and Values” Research Center is available at http://www.banks.am/datas/users/3-crisis_report.pdf.

Manuk Hergnyan stated that the positive growth of GDP in Armenia in 2009 “is practically impossible”. According to him, the best scenario for Armenia is minimum economic growth in the range of 0.1%.