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25 August, 2007
One of the opposition parties operating in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Democratic Unity Party-MEDHIN (EDUP-MEDHIN) - warned on Friday that if immediate measures are not taken to curb the current inflation in the country it could lead to a political crisis.
In a statement it issued yesterday, EDUP-MEDHIN said that despite government and international financial institutions reports that the country has, for the past four years, recorded economic growth, middle - and low-income earning citizens however had come to a point where they can no more afford basic living expenses.
“At present, millions of Ethiopians have come to an unprecedented and alarming stage where they can not afford to pay for their monthly basic expenses. It is EDUP-MEDHIN’s belief that if the government does not provide solutions soon, the economic problem which now has threatened the survival of citizens could turn into a political crisis,” the party said.
EDUP- MEDHIN further went on to say that although it had been raising the issue for the past two years and proposing ways to curb the inflation, however its efforts were not successful.
“EDUP-MEDHIN’s proposal to the House of Peoples' Representatives was turned down by a majority vote of the ruling party and other opposition parties. Those who opposed the proposition did not even provide convincing arguments as to why they were against it. The ruling party’s position then was that rationing out maize and some control measures would lower the inflation. That has not worked and the inflation has now reached a level that is alarming.”
The party added that the government should consider, among other measures, salary increment, reduce service fees at institutions under the control of the state as well as temporary subsidies for the low income group and pensioners.
By a Staff Reporter - Ethiopian Reporter