YEREVAN. - The ‘No to Plunder’ initiative [struggling against the electricity price hike in Armenia], has launched an awareness action today in the centre of capital Yerevan at 9:00 PM, initiative member Maxim Sargsyan announced in Yerevan’s Liberty Square.

“We are going to hold an awareness action and properly astound the city. We will urge people to take part in the sit-in,” he said, noting that part of the sit-in participants will remain in Liberty Square, since the protest is in process.

The awareness action participants will march from Yerevan’s Mashtots Avenue to Amiryan Street, Republic Square, Toumanyan and Sayat-Nova Streets and will return to Liberty Square. 

According to Armenian News – NEWS.am correspondent, in the phone call with the sit-in participant Vaghinak Shushanyan, Yerevan Deputy Chief of Police Valeri Osipyan said the “No to Plunder” initiative awareness action is disturbing public order. The initiative member responded that they understand the law well enough and disturb no public order.

The action is attended by around 50 people, who are urging the citizens to join the sit-in by loud speakers.

As reported earlier, during the protest against electricity price hike, ‘No to Plunder’ initiative suddenly announced they are launching a 3-day sit-in in the Liberty Square, setting a deadline for the authorities till 19:00 Monday evening. In case the decision on electricity price hike isn’t revoked, they are planning to march to the president’s residence.

Despite the numerous protest actions over the electricity price hike, the new electricity tariff was approved at the session of Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia (PSRC) on June 17.  The electricity price has gone up by 6,93 AMD, reaching 48,78 AMD (previously 41,85 AMD) per 1 kWh.  Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) CJSC had proposed to raise the electricity price by 17 AMD per 1 kWh.