Armenian protesters still hopeful
By Laman Sadigova
Protests against the electricity tariff price hike have not subsided, but are growing in strength day by day.
Armenian public’s desire to improve – or at minimum prevent a worsening of – their already difficult financial situation has not yielded results. However, citizens continue to press for their rights granted the country's constitution.
Meanwhile, Yerevan police barred the members of the "Get up, Armenia" initiative from conducting a sit-in on the stairs in front of a government building on July 30.
Police led away the activists, stating that they did not have permission to sit in front of the building and that the demonstration was illegal. On the contrary, members of the movement are blaming police for illegal actions committed against them.
Police action, however, has not destroyed the protesters’ enthusiasm; they have so far spent 3 nights in the Republic Square.
Dozens of "Get up, Armenia" members, demanding the abolition of the decision to raise the electricity tariff, held an “awareness” march in the center of Yerevan on July 31.
The protesters marched down Amiryan Street to Mashtots Avenue after turning on Tumanyan Street, then proceeded to return to Republic Square. They chanted "Join us," "No electricity price rise," and "We are the owners of our country."
In an interview with an Armenian news portal, one of the protesters, Gevorg Yeghiazaryan, noted that the protest brought positive results as citizens from other countries are now joining them.
The Commission on Regulation of Public Services in Armenia in its June 17 meeting approved a decision to increase electricity tariffs by 6.93 Armenian drams (about $0.015). As a result, starting on August 1 consumers would have been required to pay 48.78 drams instead of the current 41.85 per 1 kWh per day.
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