YEREVAN. – President Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan of Armenia on Thursday will travel to the Russian Federation (RF), on a working visit, reported Chorrord Ishkhanutyun daily.

“At first glance, these simultaneous visits are unrelated. Sargsyan is leaving for Ufa [city], Abrahamyan—to Moscow. But this is only at first glance.

“Our sources claim that the ‘occasion’ for Serzh Sargsyan’s and Hovik Abrahamyan’s travel to the RF is the current situation in Armenia’s energy system, especially at the ENA [i.e. the Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC]. And now, the [Armenian] authorities are attempting to look for a way out and coordinate their [respective] actions with the Russians,” wrote Chorrord Ishkhanutyun. 

Despite numerous protests, the Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia 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, and whose proprietor is the Russian state-owned Inter RAO UES Company. Sargsyan also said he does not rule out returning ENA to the Armenian government and transferring it to competitive management, if the audit shows that the aforesaid increase in electricity prices is unjustified.