Azernews.Az

By Laman Sadigova

Members of the public initiative "No robbery!" fighting against the electrical price hike, protesting on Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan, and are now moving to the Republic Square, where the initiative "Get up, Armenia" is also holding a protest.

The activists demand the police immediately release four detained activists from "Get up, Armenia" group.

"We will continue the meeting in the square if the activists are not released by the time we reach it," said a protester.

Earlier, the protesters intended to stand up and join forces against the dishonest government by protesting all together.

Protesters from "Get up, Armenia" demanded to cancel the decision of the electricity tariffs price hike, dismiss members of the Commission on public services regulation, and nationalize the Electric Networks of Armenia. However, the government prefers not to listen to its citizens and the only reaction the protesters get is policemen all along the streets.

The Commission on the 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 were required to pay 48.78 drams instead of the current 41.85 per 1 kWh per day.

One third of the population in Armenia lives below the poverty line and does not have any means to pay the increased taxes. Unemployment, monopoly, corruption are joined by the increasing prices of basic utilities, making an already difficult situation of the people seem hopeless.

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