‘No to Plunder’ Organizers End Sit-In While Baghramyan Avenue Protest Continues

June 29, 2015 By administrator

Thousands of people continue to demonstrate on Marshal Bagramian Avenue in Yerevan

YEREVAN—Organizers of the “No to Plunder” movement, who spearheaded the now seven-day-long public protests against electricity rate hikes, announced Monday night that they will suspend a sit-in being staged at Liberty Square that began on Sunday and will hold a press conference to discuss next steps in the continuing fight to reverse the decision to raise electricity prices in Armenia. “No to Plunder” activists pledged their support to protesters on Baghramyan Avenue who are continuing their demonstration into the eighth day.

Saying that they are part of the ongoing protest on Baghramyan Avenue and speaking on behalf of the “No to Plunder” movement, Vaghinak Shoushanyan read a statement announcing the group’s decision to halt the sit-in at the Opera house and to hold an anticipated press conference.

“The government has taken a half step back,” said Shoushanyan, saying that the decision to conduct a far-reaching audit was a “half” step back for the government, while his group’s demands have not yet been met. “It is not one step forward for us, but a half step back for the government,” said Shoushanyan.

The awkward duality in the protests emerged Sunday after Yerevan police amassed the largest show of force since the beginning of the Baghramyan Avenue protests last Monday. Rows of officers wearing riot gear and red beret special forces began surrounding the perimeter of the protests, with police leaders threatening to break up the gathering by force.

This prompted the “No to Plunder” organizers to issue an announcement urging the group to move to the Opera at Liberty Square to begin what they called “public deliberations” on the next steps of the movement. Only several hundred protesters joined the “No to Plunder” movement on its march to Liberty Square, with the majority of protesters opting to stay on Baghramyan Avenue.

Speaking to protesters on Sunday, Shoushanyan cited the risk of renewed violent clashes with police as well as President Sarkisian’s announcement on Saturday that the government would temporarily absorb the costs of the energy price hikes as the impetus for the group’s decision to move to Liberty Square.

“By staying here longer we won’t be physically prepared to endure more police beatings and jets of water,” Shoushanyan told the crowd Sunday, adding that the group continued its solidarity with the Baghramyan Avenue gathering, but was not prepared to take on organizing responsibilities.

In his statement on Monday, Shoushanyan urged all experts in the field—attorneys, engineers, political officials—to join the proposed audit to ensure that a comprehensive process would be enacted to address the issue.

He pledged his group’s solidarity with the protesters on Baghramyan Avenue once again, saying that the group was prepared to take to the streets at any given time, if their demands of reversing the electricity price hike were not met fully.

Meanwhile on Baghramyan Avenue, protesters in large numbers continued to remain steadfast in their resolve, and pledged to continue the fight in a peaceful and organized manner without hindering rule of law, prompting law enforcement agencies to stand down and allowing the protest to progress. As of this writing, thousands of protesters continued to remain on Baghramyan Avenue.

What began as a weekend-long sit-in on June 19 by the “No to Plunder” movement has morphed into a demonstration attended by thousands on Baghramyan Avenue, steps away from the presidential offices on Monday, June 22.

On June 23, Yerevan police deployed water cannons and brute force to disperse the protesters from the street. The violence, however, did not deter the protesters, who returned to Baghramyan Avenue in greater numbers. The violent outburst by the police also prompted political officials, artists, and intellectuals to join the protests nightly to form a human shield against the police and to ensure that violence would not be used against the peaceful protesters.

Report: asbarez

Silent Revolution?: ‘#ElectricYerevan’ protests in Yerevan force political leadership to take ‘emergency’ steps

June 29, 2015 By administrator

By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow correspondent

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While the current protests in Yerevan are dubbed “Electric”, they are more like a “silent revolution”. Demonstrators in Baghramyan Avenue are not setting any political demands, besides the “social demand” of revoking the decision on the electricity price hike, they are silent, they spend the day singing and dancing and gather in the evenings for rallies.

However, the political leaderships of Armenia and Russia are forced to take urgent steps.

In response to the protest blockading Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan, a meeting of the Armenian-Russian intergovernmental commission was urgently held in the Armenian capital. Then, President Serzh Sargsyan said that Russia decided to issue a loan of $200 million for the purchase of modern weapons for the army and transfer the investigation of the murders of the Avetisyan family in Gyumri, blamed on a Russian soldier, to the Armenian side. Also Russian assistance with the extension of the life of the Armenian nuclear power plant was announced and the sides agreed on commissioning an audit of the Armenian power grids owned by the Russian company Inter RAO UES.

The Armenian government, in its turn, decided to take upon itself the subsidization of the increased part of the electricity tariff, paying it from the state budget.

However, the fact that thousands of protesters remained in Baghramyan Avenue means that these decisions do not satisfy the requirements of the people. And although no one in the avenue presented new demands, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan overnight made what looked like a panic statement, claiming that the demonstrators have passed from social to “obscure political demands.”

In the protest venue some individual participants put forward various demands, up to the nationalization of Armenia’s strategic assets that were transferred to Russia and the resignation of the government. However, these demands are made privately, and no one formulates them officially.

The police force that yesterday promised to clear the demonstration did not launch any operation eventually. According to political analyst Andrias Ghukasyan, they were stopped by the large number of people who gathered in the area. According to various estimates, they were up to 10,000. However, as experts say, the police realize that breaking up the rally could lead to the downfall of today’s government in Armenia, where a movement of civil disobedience is gaining momentum.

The government is trying to “buy some time” in order to try, perhaps, to resell the Armenian power grid. According to Russia’s Kommersant newspaper, Inter RAO UES is in talks with the owner of Tashir Group Samvel Karapetyan and another Russian businessman of Armenian origin.

Minister-chief of government staff David Harutyunyan yesterday said that resale and nationalization of the company cannot be excluded, but first an international audit needs to be conducted.

The minister said that within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union that can find solutions in the energy sector. But first of all improvement of the system is needed.

In fact, to the silent rally in Yerevan political response is heard at the highest level. And the power of the people who gathered in Baghramyan Avenue is felt strongly in government offices.

Armenian protesters still defying police after tense night #ElectricYerevan

June 29, 2015 By administrator

(Karo Sahakyan/PAN Photo via AP)

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — A couple of hundred demonstrators remain on a central avenue in Armenia’s capital, defying police orders to disperse and end their weeklong protest against higher electricity rates.

The unrest is the most serious that the impoverished former Soviet nation has seen in years.

After the Armenian president promised to suspend the rate hikes by the Russian-owned power company, riot police came out in force late Sunday and ordered the protesters to disperse.

About 2,000 of them went peacefully, but several thousand others refused and the mood was tense. The police, however, did not move against the protesters and thousands stayed through the night.

On Monday morning, as usual, a smaller number remained. They refused a police request to remove a barricade of trash containers placed across the road.

#ElectricYerevan Armenian PM sounding Like Erdogan accusing Protestors that appeared at Baghramyan have other motive.

June 28, 2015 By administrator

YEREVAN. – Some forces that appeared at Baghramyan Avenue have a goal not to solve the problem of electricity, but destabilize the country and provoke clashes between our citizens, Armenian PM Hovik Abrahamyan said in a statement. Report news.am

They are focused not on social and economic element, but unclear aspirations, PM said, adding that this may be concluded taking into account response to president’s offer on audit.

“We have expressed readiness to engage representatives of expert community and civil society. In such a situation, the decision to keep demonstrators illegally block Baghramyan Avenue is unclear, especially as the initiative group said the protest will continue at Freedom Square. The members of the initiative “No to Plunder” by receiving a positive solution of the issue, demonstrated high quality of legal conscience that is in the interests of society and the state. Their decision confirmed optimistic view that we have a really good generation of young people who feel responsible for their moves.

Confirming the readiness of the authorities in achieving solutions to problems through dialogue and collaboration, I once again urge our fellow citizens who continue to protest on Baghramyan Avenue, to refrain from anti-constitutional actions not to aggravate the situation,” the statement reads.

Protesters’ victory unprecedented – Artyom Markosyan #ElectricYerevan Video

June 28, 2015 By administrator

Showman Artyom Markosyan, who was in Baghramyan Avenue on Sunday morning, has commented on the “No to plunder” civil initiative’s protests against rising electricity prices and on the Armenian authorities’ response.

He believes that a government official must arrive at Baghramyan Avenue and make a statement.

In response to a remark that Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan, quoting President Serzh Sargsyan, made a statement at a meeting with the protesters, Mr Markosyan said:

“If so, well and good. But if government officials can arrive, let them do. The most important is to prevent any provocations and politicizing, because the president and the government have found a solution,” he told Tert.am.

According to him, the protesters have won.

“Yes, it is unprecedented because all people can see that nothing like this – gaining a victory by holding peaceful events on young people’s initiative – has ever taken place in this country. Yes, it is a victory,” Mr Markosyan said.

https://youtu.be/3LB4z65M4Ak

Protests in Yerevan: day six #ElectricYerevan

June 28, 2015 By administrator

It is the sixth say that members of the “No to plunder” civil initiative have been blocking Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan, demanding revocation of the decision raising electricity prices.

Activist Vaghinak Shushanyan told Tert.am that the initiative will do what most people decide.

“I would like to urge people not to succumb to provocations or listen to calls for a revolution. None of our demands has largely been met, but they have made a step,” the activist said.

“We have won the first battle of a great war because even political opposition forces have not been considered at the presidential level for so long a period,” Shushanyan said.

#ElectricYerevan: Police warn of possible use of force

June 28, 2015 By administrator

Colonel Valeri Osipian

The Armenian police have urged protesters campaigning against rising electricity prices in Yerevan’s Baghramyan Avenue to unblock the central thoroughfare tonight, warning of possible use of force to “restore public order”.

Colonel Valeri Osipian, deputy chief of Yerevan’s police, described the Saturday statement by President Serzh Sargsyan offering a compromise plan on the electricity price hikes as “victory” both for the demonstrators and the entire society, including the police, and recommended that No To Plunder activists “return to the framework of law”.

The protesters want the unpopular decision by the utilities commission to raise electricity tariffs by over 16 percent beginning in August to be scrapped. But at a meeting with senior government officials late on Saturday Sargsyan suggested that the Armenian government will take upon itself the subsidizing of the increase until it gets the conclusion of an international audit of the Russian-owned Electric Networks of Armenia company.

Activists of the No To Plunder pressure group who have been holding protests in Yerevan since June 19 did not react immediately to the announcement, calling for “nationwide mobilization” on Sunday to determine their attitude towards the government plan and decide on further actions.

Talking to media hours before the rally, Colonel Osipyan said: “Within the framework of the law the police will use means to restore public order in Baghramian Avenue. The offenders will be punished.”

The police already used force against demonstrators on June 23, but the heavy-handed reaction then only angered people and they turned out in even larger numbers to get barricaded in Baghramian Avenue later that night.

The police have not used strong-arm methods since then, but have kept reminding the protesters that while peaceful their rallies violate Armenia’s law on freedom of assembly.

Armenian Demonstrators to Decide Whether to Halt Protest #ElectricYerevan

June 28, 2015 By administrator

YEREVAN, Armenia — Jun 28, 2015, 10:35 AM ET

By AVET DEMOURIAN Associated Press

Demonstrators protesting higher household electricity rates blocked the Armenian capital’s main avenue on Sunday for a seventh straight day, but they planned to decide in the evening whether to call a halt to their protest after the president promised to suspend the rate hikes.

If the protesters don’t leave by late Sunday, the Yerevan police warned that they would take steps to disperse the demonstrators and open the street to traffic.

After nearly a week in which the number of protesters grew steadily to reach about 15,000, the turning point came late Saturday when President Serzh Sargsyan announced that the government would bear the burden of the higher electricity costs until an international audit of the power company could be done. The protesters claim the Russian-owned utility is riddled with corruption.

The unrest is the most serious that the former Soviet nation has seen in years, posing a challenge to Sargsyan’s government and causing great concern in Moscow. Russia maintains a military base in Armenia and Russian companies control most of its major industries.

Protest organizer Vaghinak Shushanian said Sunday that the president did as much as he was able to do legally, and while it was not a complete victory for the demonstrators, it made sense for them to take a break. But he said the decision on whether to halt the protest would be made by the demonstrators themselves as the crowds returned for the evening rally.

The city’s deputy police chief, Valery Osipian, said his officers were prepared “to try to restore social order” if the street weren’t cleared by the end of the night. After an initial attempt to disperse the protesters through the use of water cannons, which only angered them and brought international condemnation, the police have stood by peacefully.

During the heat of the day, as usual only a few hundred protesters remained on the street, separated from the police by a line of large trash containers. They were joined in the afternoon by a newlywed couple, who carried signs calling for the electricity company’s debts to be paid by its Russian director and for the utility to be nationalized.

Sargsyan said Saturday that he wouldn’t exclude the nationalization of the Armenian power company, a subsidiary of the Russian electricity company Inter RAO UES.

The president’s focus, however, was on plans for an audit, which he said would be conducted by an international company with input from some of the protest organizers. If the audit showed that the rate hikes were justified, they would be passed on to consumers, he said.

Armenian Government to assume the burden of price hike until audit conducted #ElectricYerevan

June 27, 2015 By administrator

By Siranush Ghazanchyan

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan held consultations with the agencies responsible for the Republic’s economic policy to discuss issued of energy security and solution of existing problems.

Speaking about the ongoing protests against the planned electricity price hike, President Sargsyan hailed the mutual trust established between the protesters and the law-enforcement bodies over the past days.

“I have been following the recent developments and I can assert that over the past week Armenia has turned into a large and effective educational center, where our citizens and law-enforcers, journalists and lawmakers, intellectuals and foreigners teach each other, listen to each other, tolerate each other, something that rarely happens in the world.,” the President said.

The President reminded that during a meeting with Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov he stressed the importance of conducting an audit at the Armenian Electric Networks. He added, however, that the decision on price hike was justified.

“I’m confident that if the price is not increased, the energy system will face the danger of collapse.”

He suggested to select an experienced international consulting company to conduct an audit at the Electric Networks, to give an answer to the following questions: to what extent the price hike is justified and which are the dangers threatening the energy system in case the price is not increased.

The President said that before the final decision, the government will assume the burden of the increased prices.

“If the audit comes to prove that the price hike is justified, the consumers will start paying the cost. In case the audit concludes that the planned price hike was groundless, the government will do its best to get back the sums spared by the Electric Networks and will call the officials to accountability,” President Sargsyan stated.