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YEREVAN. – “You are all intelligent people. Disassemble the waste containers with your own hand, on your own, and go!”

The Deputy Police Chief of Yerevan—the capital city of Armenia—, Valeri Osipyan, told the aforesaid, on Saturday morning, to the participants in the sit-in that continues for the past thirteen days at Baghramyan Avenue—in Downtown Yerevan—, and against the recent decision to raise the price of electricity in the country. 

He also advised the protesting youth to form a professional group—comprising economists and attorneys—, and partake in the audit to be conducted at the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) Company, which supplies electricity to the country’s consumers.

Osipyan added that the demonstrators are wasting time by staying at the boulevard.

“You already have achieved a certain victory,” stressed the Yerevan deputy police chief. “All intelligent people are no longer coming [to Baghramyan Avenue]; you have remained [a mere] one hundred people [here].”

In response, however, the protesters noted that they will leave the boulevard solely when their demands are met. 

“Our one hundred people could become ten thousand,” they added.

On June 22, numerous people—led by the “No to Plunder” initiative—staged a protest at Baghramyan Avenue, and demanded the revoking of the 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 the 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 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.

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