No provokers among police at Electric Yerevan rally: police chief June 27, 2015 - 18:24 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian police will not take any actions unless there are offences, Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan told journalists referring to the continuing rally against electricity price hike at Yerevan’s Bagramyan Avenue, according to Panorama.am. “The police take philosophic approach here. People have come to raise a social problem. They want a solution to it. We see no problems as to that,” Gasparyan said adding “We protect citizens, but when a citizen breaks the law, then a mechanism is applied”. “I am in favor of civilized solution to all problems so that they don’t escalate to the point of police intervention. There are no provokers among policemen. And if a policeman in civilian clothes makes a mistake, he will be discovered,” the police chief said. He repeated that the Armenian police are not going to use force and will maintain public order in case of offences. Commenting on the ‘live shield’ that Armenian MPs, intellectuals, lawyers, reporters and priests have formed between police and demonstrators, Gasparyan said: “If the live shield is just a decoration, then, of course, no one needs it. But if those who form it sincerely want a solution to the problem, then they should pass on their experience to youths so no provokers will join them and no undesirable events happen”. When asked if he considers the ‘live shield’ at the Yerevan rally a decoration, Gasparyan replied “In some places it is”. 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 | Ucom General Director gives lecture at French University in Armenia The General Director of Ucom Ralph Yirikian delivered a lecture at the French University of Armenia. 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. |