YEREVAN. – A short while ago, and “based on today’s [i.e. Thursday’s] specifics,” the Police removed the special equipment—including the water cannon—from Baghramyan Avenue, in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan.
The Deputy Police Chief of Yerevan, Valeri Osipyan, on Thursday told the abovementioned to reporters at the boulevard.
“The Police treats each day in a special way. This was appropriate today. [But] based on tomorrow’s specifics, they may be brought back again,” said Osipyan. “It [i.e. Baghramyan Avenue] looked beautiful with the water cannon, but it’s beautiful like this, too. Each beauty has a particularity.”
Osipyan, reflecting on Wednesday’s Police statement that if this sit-in continues at Baghramyan Avenue the Police of Armenia will be forced to exercise in full force its powers vested by the law, noted that, if necessary, they will “establish public order by resorting to all the measures provided by the law.”
On June 22, numerous people—led by the “No to Plunder” initiative—staged a protest at Baghramyan Avenue and against the recent decision to raise the price of electricity in the country. In the morning of June 23, however, the police forcibly dispersed this sit-in. Since the evening of the same day, however, the demonstrators have resumed the sit-in at Baghramyan Avenue, closed it off, and demanded the revoking of the decision to raise the price of electricity in the country. But on June 28—and following President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement—the “No to Plunder” members and supporters 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 (ENA) 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 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.
