Sit-in to protest electricity hike underway in Yerevan June 20, 2015 - 16:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A sit-in is underway at Yerevan’s Liberty Square to protest the rise of power tariffs in Armenia. Fewer activists are participating today (June 20): many went home after spending the night here. The protesters hope that today activists from Gyumri and other cities will join their ranks.
“No to Robbery” civic initiative and several political forces staged a rally in Yerevan yesterday to protest the rise in tariffs. The activists then decided to hold a three-day sit-in.
Deputy Chief of Yerevan police Valery Osipyan declared that all actions of protesters were illegal as they were allowed to stage a protest until 11 pm. Yet given the fact that it was a peaceful action, the police decided to allow participants to stay in Liberty Square, he added.
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. Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. 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. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. 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. 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. |