YEREVAN. – There are all prerequisites for regular rise in electricity prices to provoke a wave of popular discontent, Haykakan Zhamanak daily writes.

Announcement of public debates in Liberty square appeared on social networks on Thursday. Being rather a protest, than a professional discussion, the Thursday event attended by more people than expected, the newspaper writes.

“After a ‘discussion’ several dozen started a march along the central streets of Yerevan under the motto ‘No to robbery!’. Thus, we can say that the movement against the increase in electricity tariffs was launched. Taking into account that increase in electricity price will hit the pocket of all, without exception, and this impact will be quite noticeable, we should expect the growth of the protest movement. It new movement has a very important similarity with the actions staged against the increase in transportation fares two years ago: no convincing arguments about the need to increase tariffs has been provided.  Of course, it is not easy to justify the need for a rise in electricity price by more than 60% within just three years. The energy system of Armenia has accumulated debts, and it is a fact. However, everyone understands that these debts are formed as a result of embezzlement and mismanagement, what is not the fault of the citizens. The latter are obviously guilty of only one thing: when the rates increased gradually, they did not protest. However, a chance ‘to atone sin’ is always there,” Haykakan Zhamanak says.