Armenia initiative presents new demands #ElectricYerevan

June 26, 2015 By administrator

Armenian Youth using cell phone fore light

YEREVAN. – The “No to Plunder” initiative of Armenia has presented its new demands, which are as follows:

“1) To review and cancel the PSRC’s [i.e. the Public Services Regulatory Commission] unlawful decision on the electricity tariff. 2) To review last year’s tariff for the purpose of reduction. 3) To punish all law-breaking police officers that unlawfully beat the peaceful demonstrators on [Monday,] June 22 at Baghramian Avenue, as well as to punish those that give them an unlawful order.”

On early Tuesday morning, the capital city Yerevan police dispersed the activists—that were led by members of the “No to Plunder” initiative—protesting against electricity price hike by using water cannon, and they detained many activists and journalists, who were later released.

On Tuesday evening, however, the sit-in participants marched toward the Office of the President—on Baghramian Avenue—yet again and with a larger crowd, but the police blocked their way again.

However, the sit-in still continues at the starting point of Baghramian Avenue, which is closed off, and traffic towards this boulevard is suspended.

Despite numerous protests, the Public Services Regulatory Commission recently increased the price of electricity in Armenia, and this decision will take effect on August 1. The decision, however, is expected to be followed by an increase in the prices of numerous products and services in the country.

Armenia News – NEWS.am

Baghramyan: #ElectricYerevan protests spread to provinces, Armenian communities abroad

June 25, 2015 By administrator

The civil protests that began in the heart of capital Yerevan have spread around other towns across the country, reaching also neighboring Georgia and Armenian communities abroad.

The protests that began in Liberty Square last Friday continue in a nearby Yerevan avenue that leads to the presidential administration building and the energy of the rallies and sin-ins is shared by similar smaller-scale events in Gyumri, Vanadzor and elsewhere in Armenia.

Although water cannons were not used against protesters in Gyumri and Vanadzor like it happened on Tuesday morning in Yerevan, however the Wednesday weather itself went against the protesters. But demonstrators reportedly braved the heavy rain and continued their protest with even greater enthusiasm.

Gyumri protesters, flanked by police, marched from the town’s Theater Square with posters and chants saying “End to Tariff Increase”, “We Will Not Pay”, “No More Increases”, passing along the main streets and until Renaissance Park, and returned to Theater Square where they have been holding a sit-in. According to them, they will continue the sit-in until something gets decided in the capital.

And Vanadzor protestors started their march from Artsakh Park chanting “Unification”, “Out of Our Pockets”, “No To Plunder” and moved toward Hayk Square where they began an open-ended sit-in in front of the City Hall.

Organizers here initially said that the event must not be politicized, however the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) party and Founding Parliament (FP) movement representatives were present and were given a chance to make speeches. The police force in Vanadzor as well surrounded the protesters.

According to Yerevan protest initiative members, people in Ashtarak, Sisian, Spitak joined them by organizing sit-ins. And protesters from Charentsavan conducted a protest on wheels and reached Baghramyan Avenue on Wednesday evening.

But protests are not limited to Armenia only. In the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi about 300 kilometer away from Yerevan some people joined the Armenian protests as well. On Wednesday a group of ethnic Armenian as well as Georgian youths gathered in front of the Armenian Embassy to Georgia with posters saying “Do not Care for Bibin”, “Electric Yerevan”, “In Support of the Armenians” expressing their support for the young activists holding protests on Baghramayn Avenue in Yerevan.

Across the ocean, in one of the largest Armenian community abroad, in front of the Armenian Consulate in Glendale, California, USA, a group of Armenians expressed their discontent against the Armenian police actions against the protesters in Yerevan. However, unlike it is in Yerevan where no political demands are advanced, in Glendale there was also a demand for the resignation of President Serzh Sargsyan.

In support of the protesters on Baghramyan Avenue, jailed Armenian actor Vardan Petrosyan went on a hunger strike in Nubarashen penitentiary.

“I am not physically there, but I can express my support for all the protesters this way,” the actor said.

Report GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

Day 3: Russia, West watching closely Armenia protests #ElectricYerevan

June 24, 2015 By administrator

The third day of actions of protest in Yerevan demanding the cancellation of the decision to raise electricity tariffs began with protesters still camped in a central Yerevan street, determined to continue their struggle till a corresponding decision by the authorities. Report ArmeniaNow

The events unfolding in Yerevan are being actively covered by the foreign press, and many Russian media call them the Armenian Maidan, drawing parallels with anti-government protests in Kyiv in late 2013, early 2014 that led to the change of government in Ukraine. Like in the case with the Ukrainian protests, they also accuse the West of “inspiring anti-Russian sentiments”.

Lately, the Russian state propaganda commonly uses the word “Maidan” to refer to movements in post-Soviet countries aimed at overthrowing the pro-Russian governments. But during the first two days of protests in Yerevan not a single word about any overthrow of a pro-Russian government was heard and not even demands were made for the nationalization of the infrastructure now being monopolistically owned by Russian state-run or private companies. A purely economic and social demand – to cancel the decision on raising the electricity prices by 7 drams (about 1.5 cents) – has only been raised.

Despite the absence of such appeals and demands, in Russia and elsewhere everyone appears to realize that the economic collapse in Armenia came in the wake of the country’s joining the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union at the beginning of this year. The unpopular measures being taken by the authorities – such as raising taxes, tariffs, increasing the external debt – only fuel anti-government sentiments.

Commenting on the events in Armenia, Dmitry Pekov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that Armenia is a country that is very close to Russia and that in Moscow they are closely watching the developments in Yerevan. The Rosbalt newspaper, reporting on the multi-thousands rallies in Gyumri, reminded that the city in the northwest of Armmenia hosts a Russian military base and mentions that some demonstrators also demand its withdrawal from Armenia.

On Tuesday, diplomatic missions of the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the OSCE Office in Armenia made statements about the use of excessive force by the Armenian police against demonstrators earlier that day. On the morning of June 23, police dispersed a sin-in in Baghramyan Avenue with the use of water cannons and special means. There were also reports about violence used against journalists. And the Western diplomatic missions called for investigations of these cases and for allowing journalists to carry out their professional duties. The Western countries have not made any political statements.

The president of Armenia and the country’s top leaders also refrain from making statements about the protest actions: President Serzh Sargsyan offers to meet with a delegation of demonstrators, but they have rejected the proposal. If the president cancels the decision of the Public Services Regulatory Commission regarding the increase of electricity tariffs, it would mean that the Armenian authorities reject the request of the Russian state company Inter RAO to raise the tariffs. If the president leaves the decision in force, the protests are likely to continue to grow and develop in a yet unknown direction.

The demonstrators are unarmed, they do not allow disrespectful actions towards the police, however, the Vesti news program on a Russian state-run TV channel on June 23 reported that protesters allegedly were armed with iron bars, brass knuckles and truncheons.

Some Armenian analysts say that Moscow, probably, is preparing for the introduction of troops if protests in Yerevan take a clear anti-Russian character.

The countries that are members of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (Armenia is a member of this defense pact) have an agreement that in the event of internal disturbances, in case of a given country’s political leadership’s application, the CSTO can introduce troops in this country to stabilize the situation.

Protesters renew march against #ElectricYerevan prices in Armenia

June 23, 2015 By administrator

By AVET DEMOURIAN 2 hours ago

Armenian police use water cannons to disperse protesters demonstrating
/PAN Photo via AP)

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Several thousand demonstrators marched toward the presidential residence in the Armenian capital on Tuesday to protest a hike in electricity prices, renewing their demonstration in even greater numbers after riot police used water cannons to forcefully disperse them earlier in the day.

The number of riot police also increased and helmeted officers holding shields stood shoulder-to-shoulder to block the protesters from moving farther down the central avenue in Yerevan.

Police had arrested more than 200 people in dispersing the demonstration early Tuesday, but by the evening an estimated 7,000 protesters had joined the new demonstration.

The unrest was the most serious that Armenia has seen in years, raising concerns about political stability in the impoverished former Soviet nation, which hosts a Russian military base and is part of a Moscow-dominated economic alliance.

Russian companies control some of the most prized economic assets in Armenia, including the power grid. The protest was triggered when an Armenian government commission agreed to raise electricity rates at the request of the power company.

The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan voiced concern about reports of excessive use of force by police and urged the government to investigate them.

On Monday, about 5,000 demonstrators marched toward the presidential headquarters, but were stopped by lines of riot police backed by water cannons. The protesters then sat on the road, blocking traffic and ignoring police demands to leave. They also refused the government’s offer to appoint representatives to present their demands to President Serge Sarkisian and demanded that he attend the rally.

Several hundred remained in place overnight. Riot police broke up the protest early Tuesday, using water cannons.

Some protesters resisted and threw rocks at the officers, who responded by beating them with truncheons. Plainclothes police agents also rounded up demonstrators.

Armenian police spokesman Ashot Agaronian said 237 demonstrators were detained and seven demonstrators and 11 police officers were injured.

Police also broke up a small rally in Armenia’s second-largest city of Gyumri on Tuesday backing the main protest, arresting 12 people.

The demonstrators were demanding that the government reconsider its decision to increase electricity prices for households by 17-22 percent. Some protesters also called for Sarkisian’s resignation.

The opposition Armenian National Congress walked out of parliament in protest Tuesday against the rally’s breakup and demanded the release of all those detained.

Raffi Hovannisian, the leader of the opposition Heritage party who challenged Sarkisian in a 2013 presidential election, also denounced the government crackdown on the protest, calling it “a national shame.”

Sarkisian, who is serving his second term, has not yet commented on the protest.

The landlocked country’s economy is hobbled by the longstanding closure of its borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey over a conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. It depends on close ties with Russia.

Alexander Iskandarian, head of the Caucasus Institute, an independent think tank, said the protest reflected “the radicalization of opposition activities.”