YEREVAN. – A civil movement always has  prospects for development because a completely different generation with a new way of thinking has grown, political technologist Karen Kocharyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. 

To note, Kocharyan was an active participant in the protests—specifically, in the Free Car initiative—against raising the public transport fares in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan.

“If we consider that the generation thinks in this way, the movement always has prospects for development. This generation [in Armenia] will be a completely different society because the generation has grown up differently. Now, however, it is somewhat of a period for establishment. The governing bodies could make strange decisions, and the movement could get active,” Kocharyan noted.       

When asked how he assesses the fact that some activists are still continuing their protests and demanding the resignation of some officials, the political technologist responded as follows:  

“It is that age of adrenalin, enthusiasm that they have accomplished something.”  

To note, the activists have a seven-point demand. One of the demands is for the public transport fee to reduce to 50 drams (approx. $0.12) for the next five days, to compensate for the five-day fare hike. They also demand that Mayor Taron Margaryan be brought to account. In addition they demand the dismissal of Municipality Transport Department Chief Henrik Navasardyan and Yerevan Trans Company Director Misak Hambardzumyan, and state that they will not leave the municipality premises until these officials resign.        

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the Yerevan Municipality recent decision to increase the public transport fares in the city had brought about outbursts, several groups were formed in the social networks, and the initiatives were staging protests and distributing pamphlets against this decision. In addition, the Free Car initiative was launched, along the lines of which Armenia’s numerous well-known personalities, MPs, and ordinary residents were providing—with their own vehicles—free transportation to the people.

And on Thursday, Mayor Taron Margaryan suspended the decision on the fare hike; but the wave of the aforesaid movement is still alive.            

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am