YEREVAN. – Political technologist Karen Kocharyan believes that the ongoing protest of those fighting against the electricity price hike in Armenia is a success, and the reason is the fact that the demonstrating youth are apolitical.

Kocharyan noted the aforesaid at a press conference on Friday.

“If the audit [to be conducted at the Electric Networks of Armenia Company, which supplies electricity to the country’s consumers,] decides that it [i.e. the electricity tariffs] will go up, I’m sure that the boys will come out to fight.

“The [protest] action was a success, whereas there were to be ups and downs; it’s natural. The youth were inexperienced, there were no leaders, speakers.

“In this case, the power of the youth was in their disorganization,” said the analyst.

In Kocharyan’s words, no split had occurred between the demonstrators, and they simply did not agree on some matters.

“[But] they will come to a common denominator,” said Karen Kocharyan adding that the demonstration is gradual fading, which, however, is normal at this point.

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 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.