CSTO rep: Protests in Yerevan cannot be compared with Maidan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Protests against energy price hike in Armenia cannot be compared with the April, 2010 revolution in Kyrgyzstan, permanent representative of Armenia to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) said.

As David Virabyan noted at the Moscow-hosted CSTO and Global Security Challenges forum, organized by the Gorchakov Fund, some media outlets compare what is happening in Armenia with Maidan or the revolution in Kyrgyzstan, so he decided to dispel this view.

“These are completely different things. Young people participating in demonstrations do not even have specific requirements. I should note that President Serzh Sargsyan is ready to meet with activists, while the latters do not agree yet. I understand the desire of some media to show something extraordinary, but it’s highly improbable that current situation should escalate into a conflict, as it did in case of Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine,” Vb.kg quotes him as saying.

He also did not rule out the possibility of provocations, however, expressing confidence that the state is strong enough to prevent them.

Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) Company earlier submitted a bid to the Public Services Regulatory Commission about a rise in electricity tariffs. The parliamentary opposition considers the move unfounded and initiated to serve the interests of ENA. The current night-time tariff for the population is AMD 31.85 per KWH, the daytime tariff is AMD 41.85. The bid of ENA proposed raising the tariffs to AMD 48 and 58 respectively. Yet the Commission satisfied the bid only partially on June 17, with the increase set at AMD 6.93 instead of AMD 17.

The Commission’s decision will take force on August 1, 2015.