Poghosyan: Development of electric drive transportation impeded in Armenia July 15, 2011 - 16:45 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Price rise for underground affected paying ability of Armenian consumers, said Armen Poghosyan, Chair of the Armenian Consumers Association. “Working out of development strategy of electric drive transportation, despite expensive value, will allow reduce state - allocated subsidies aimed to maintain the sector, namely, underground,” Poghosyan told a press conference in Yerevan. According to Yerevan Mayor Karen Karapetyan, starting July 1 the cost of Yerevan underground ticket increased two times, that is, from AMD 50 to AMD 100. As a result, the number of underground users decreased by 10-20%, according to Poghosyan. “In Yerevan only 18-20 people sitting in the Parliament are advantageous for the current situation with transport with a dominating number of express taxis, the rest population suffers, considering that some 600 thous. people are moving to and fro in a day,” said Chair of the Association. Besides, there are people who are quite reluctant to assist development of electric drive transport which supplies energy generated in Armenia, since imported petrol and gas is used presently in the sphere of public transport, according to him. “We live in the age when authorities and public must collaborate,” said Poghosyan. In turn, Chairman of the Domestic Commodity Producers' Union of Armenia Vazgen Safaryan added that the new Mayor of Yerevan proceeds from business fundamentals and makes decisions which are not always appropriate for public benefit. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Russia sends note of protest to Armenia over envoy’s trip to Ukraine’s Bucha Russia has sent a note of protest to Armenia over the visit of Vladimir Karapetyan and Tigran Ter-Margaryan to Bucha. Armenia: Protesters march to parliament, some spend the night on street The protesters did not disperse despite heavy rain that began at around 2 a.m. local time. Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. |