YEREVAN. – It is a result of the pressure by the Armenian youth that Kremlin “bent down” and handed the case of Russian soldier Valery Permyakov—who stands accused in the brutal murder of the seven members of the Avetisyan family in Gyumri, Armenia—over to the Armenian side.

Armenian Public Council (APC) member, ex-MP Arshak Sadoyan stated the above-said at a press conference on Monday. He noted this reflecting on the ongoing demonstration by the Armenian youth, and against the decision to raise the price of electricity in Armenia, and the results of this protest.

Sadoyan considered the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) Company’s actions as shameful.

“If an audit is conducted at the ENA, the ‘dirt’ will come to light,” he stressed.

In the APC member’s conviction, if the demonstrators and the Armenian body politic do not like the procedures for conducting this audit, they will assemble yet again.

On the evening of June 23, numerous people had commenced a sit-in at Baghramyan Avenue in capital city Yerevan, closed it off, and demanded the revoking of the decision to raise the price of electricity in the country. But on Sunday, some of them went to Liberty Square, whereas the majority stayed at Baghramyan Avenue.

Despite numerous protests, the Public Services Regulatory Commission recently increased the price of electricity in Armenia by 6.93 drams—instead of 17 drams, proposed by the ENA—, per cubic meter, and this decision will take effect on August 1. But the decision is expected to be followed by an increase in the prices of numerous products and services in the country.

President Serzh Sargsyan, however, stated that the government will cover this price hike until an audit is conducted at the ENA, which supplies electricity to the country’s residents. Sargsyan also said he does not rule out returning the company to the Armenian government and transferring it to competitive management, if the audit shows that the aforesaid increase in electricity prices is unjustified.