“No to Plunder” halts nighttime energy hike protests

 June 30, 2015 - 12:21 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Coordinators of the civil movement “No to Plunder” made a decision to stop the nighttime sit-in campaign at Freedom Square in Yerevan.

“We’ll detail our further steps at a press conference tomorrow,” coordinating group member Maksim Sargsyan told reporters on June 29.

However, he did not rule out the possibility of joining the demonstrators on Baghramyan Avenue. Two campaigns are currently being held in Yerevan: one at Baghramyan Avenue and another at Freedom Square.

Following the lead of members of the coordinating group, some of the protesters left the scene to continue the campaign at Freedom Square, with the majority of picketers still remaining at the avenue. Those leaving declared that those who stayed at Baghramyan Street are instigators and exacerbate the already tense situation.

Unwilling to leave the avenue, people accused "No to Plunder" movement of treason and declared their intention to continue the struggle against electricity price hike.

Earlier, Deputy Chief of Yerevan Police Valery Osipyan said the police will not take any measures and will wait for the picketers to abandon Baghramyan Avenue.

In response to a journalist’s question whether the police are going to remove the garbage cans off the avenue, Osipyan said the protesters will clean the street themselves.

Chief of Police of Armenia, Vladimir Gasparyan explained, in turn, what the police meant by saying that some political forces, organizations and individuals use the protests against energy tariff hike to gain their own ends.

“What you initiated stems from the interests of every single citizen, including the police, as it concerns all of us. You did a good job through your righteous undertaking, necessary for all of us, including our government, but there are always people who want fame and strive to create a favorable situation for themselves,” Gasparyan noted.