Marchers urge Armenian President to cancel rise of electricity tariffs

Today, protesters against the increase of electricity tariffs staged a sit-in strike in Bagramyan Avenue in Yerevan. They demand from the Armenian President to sign a decree cancelling the decision of the Commission on Regulation of Public Services (CRPS) to increase electricity tariffs.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 17 Armenia made a decision to increase electricity tariffs starting August 1. On June 19, in Yerevan, protesters went out to an action against the tariff rise. They announced a sit-in strike in Freedom Square and gave time to the authorities until June 22 to cancel the tariff-rising decision.

"The President needs to do only one thing – to sign a decree; and only after that protesters will go home," Vakhinak Shushanyan, a member of the initiative group "No to robbery!", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to the activist, protesters have no intent to clash with the police, which is confirmed by their periodic appeals to policemen to join the protest.

Shushanyan believes that President Serzh Sargsyan "by cancelling the burglarious decision of the CRPS, will calm down the passions in the society."

"There are precedents, when President's interference changed the situation, like in the struggle for the MashtotsPark. The increase of public transport fares was cancelled without President's intervention, but the Mayoralty was forced to reverse its decision under protesters' pressure," Maxim Sargsyan, a member of the initiative group, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.