YEREVAN. – The activists at Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia—and who are fighting against the recent decision to raise the price of electricity in the country—, see no need for setting up a new initiative group (PHOTOS).
They plan to hold an awareness march on Monday at 5pm—and with fifteen to twenty youths—on the streets of Yerevan, whereupon to return to Baghramyan Avenue, the activists announced on the same day.
“Our struggle continues, as it has continued for [the past] seven days. Let those that went to Liberty Square continue their struggle there.
“We started the struggle here [at Baghramyan Avenue], and we will end [it] here; we’re doing the same work.
“There is no issue of a leader here; we’re all perceptive, cognizant people.
“We don’t need an audit, but a full revoking [of the aforesaid decision]. We will continue to fight, since our fight is righteous,” an activist stated, in particular.
The activists noted that they will stay at Baghramyan Avenue until their demands are met.
“There are no political demands; we’re fighting for the same thing,” they said. “There can be no word about a split [between the activists].”
Members of the “No to Plunder” initiative, however, are at Liberty Square. Initiative member Vaghinak Shushanyan announced that they will attend the events to be held solely at Liberty Square. He added that they are unaware of and will not participate in the events being held at Baghramyan Avenue.
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 Electric Networks of Armenia Company—, 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.
