New Times leader urges govt. to follow Brazil’s suit in transport hike reversalJuly 23, 2013 - 18:02 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - New Times party leader urged the government of Armenia to follow the suit of Brazilian President in rolling back transport hikes. Aram Karapetyan slammed the government for lack of reaction to recent protests over the increase of transport fare. However, he noted that President Serzh Sargsyan is unable to halt the hike by forbidding the owners of transport lines to increase the fare. The executive director of the Movement Against Lawlessness Larisa Alaverdyan, in turn, called for cardinal change in the government’s transport policies. Last month, Brazil reversed an increase in bus and subway fares that ignited anti-government protests that spread across the nation. On Thursday, July 18 a 50% increase in public transport price was confirmed, with passengers to be charged AMD 150, up from AMD 100. The increase fuelled rallies, with several car owners joining the protesters by offering free transportation. The activists are distributing leaflets urging against paying AMD 150, some are still paying AMD 100 in protest. Top stories The Cabinet of Ministers decided on Thursday, November 9 to allocated AMD 120 million to arrange the gathering. Michael Roth believes sanctions must be put on the table after Baku‘s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Yerevan City Council has elected Tigran Avniyan from the ruling Civil Contract as the mayor of the Armenian capital. The Armenian Parliament on Tuesday, October 3 voted to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. U.S. believes peace is “possible” in South Caucasus The United States continues to believe that peace is possible in the South Caucasus, Vedant Patel said. |