Armenia: Protestors enter Yerevan’s Baghramyan Avenue and sit down, police form barrier

September 11, 2015 By administrator

Yerevan

YEREVAN. – “No to Plunder” campaign, which is staging a protest against electricity price hike today in Yerevan, has deviated from its previously scheduled route. The activists suddenly changed their way from Yerevan’s Mashtots Avenue and ran to Baghramyan Avenue.

The police tried to stop the activists, but useless: The activists reached the section on Baghramyan Avenue where they built barricades and staged a sit-in earlier in June, as reported by Armenian News – NEWS.am correspondent. But here they met the police barrier made up of several rows.

The first rows of the activists immediately sat on the ground, scanning: “We want water” and “Sit-in.”

Yerevan Deputy Chief of Police Valery Osipyan warned that those disturbing public order will be held liable. He also said that what was allowed was the march following another route, which didn’t include Baghramyan Avenue.

As reported earlier, members of the oppositional movements “Founding Parliament,” and “Stand up, Armenia” have also joined the “No to Plunder” campaign.

The march was scheduled to be held in Yerevan’s Sayat-Nova, Abovyan, Amiryan streets, as well as Mashtots Avenue, and was to end in Liberty Square.

The decision on electricity price hike has come into force since August 1. PM Hovik Abrahamyan stated that the added 6,93 AMD will be subsidized by extra-budgetary funds received from the sale of Armenia’s Vorotan Cascade.

The initiative members were outraged by the fact that although the President had announced that the whole “burden” would be taken on by the state, the PM stated that the subsidy will be provided only to the citizens and those small and medium enterprises (SME) which consume up to 500 kW energy.

The initiative members said they feel deceived.

Electricity Price Hike Protests Result in Arrests, Clashes with Police

September 2, 2015 By administrator

YEREVAN—As has been promised for weeks, the “No to Plunder” movement, which mobilized tens of thousands of Armenians in June to stage a two-week sit-in at Baghramyan Avenue, staged another protest on Tuesday, which began at Lover’s Park and moved to Republic Square.

At Republic Square the group of protesters were met by another group of protesters from the “Rise Up Armenia” group and proceeded to march toward the presidential palace on Baghramyan Avenue.

Protesters clashed with police as several members of the “No to Plunder” movement were arrested and were released within hours and returned to the protests.

There, the organizers, once again outlined their demands, specifically urging President Serzh Sarkisian to honor his pledge of the government subsidizing the electricity price hike until the results of a scheduled audit are announced.

Armenia authorities to fully subsidize electricity price hike for residents

August 31, 2015 By administrator

YEREVAN. – The Government of Armenia will completely subsidize the increased price for the electricity consumed by the country’s residents.

The respective decision was reached at Monday’s Cabinet session.

The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Yervand Zakharyan, stated that in the case of the residents, the subsidy will be made in the amount of 6.93 drams per kilowatt/hour, for all consumed electricity.

The country’s enterprises and organizations, on the other hand, will get a partial subsidy. These electricity consumers will receive a monthly subsidy for up to 250 kilowatts per hour.

Zakharyan told reporters, however, that the subsidies allocated to public as of August 1 have not yet been calculated.

“[But] we will soon calculate and present [them],” added the minister.

Electricity prices in Armenia have increased as of August 1. The aforesaid subsidization of these price hikes will continue until Deloitte & Touche CIS consulting firm submits conclusions. The company will analyze the country’s energy system, and provide the government consulting on energy management.

Source: NEWS.am

‘Electric Yerevan’ Organizers To Resume Street Protests

August 29, 2015 By administrator

Leaders of the No To Plunder movement at a press conference in Yerevan on August 28, 2015 (Source: Photolur)

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)—No To Plunder, the Armenian youth group that was behind the recent “Electric Yerevan” protests, said on Friday that it will resume its campaign of “civil disobedience” next week, accusing the government of reneging on a pledge to subsidize energy prices.

Leaders of No To Plunder said that while the tariffs remain unchanged for households for now, Armenian businesses are being forced to pay more for electricity used by them. According to No To Plunder, this runs counter to President Serzh Sarkissian’s assurance that the government would “shoulder the whole burden” of the more than 17 percent price hike, pending the findings of an emergency audit of Armenia’s national power utility.

Sarkissian made the statement on June 28 at the height of non-stop protests on a central Yerevan avenue that were organized by No To Plunder, and attended by thousands of mostly young people. No To Plunder was pushed aside by other, more radical activists after urging the protesters to unblock Marshal Bagramian Avenue because of the concessions announced by Sarkissian.

“He said nothing about not subsidizing small and medium-sized businesses,” argued Artush Chibukhchian, one of the group’s leaders.

“Serzh Sarkissian has fooled the people and we must respond to that on the street,” Chibukchian charged at a news conference. “Serzh Sarkissian wants to make electricity more expensive. He doesn’t want to solve this problem.”

“We are resuming the street struggle,” he said. “We have had a chance to see that issues are solved on the street. They [the authorities] won’t do anything unless you put pressure on them.”

Mihran Avagian, another No To Plunder leader, announced that the youth movement will resume its street protests on September 1. But neither he nor Chibukhchian disclosed details of the planned actions. They said only that the group might again occupy Marshal Bagramian Avenue leading to the presidential administration building.

Meanwhile, it remains unclear as to who will conduct the promised audit of the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA), the loss-making utility owned by the Russian company Inter RAO, or when. The Armenian government has so far only commissioned a U.S. consulting firm, Deloitte, to investigate and conclude whether the price hike sanctioned by Armenian state regulators in early June was justified.

Observers believe that the energy tariff for households will not rise at least until a referendum on constitutional changes takes place, which they see as vital for President Sarkissian’s political future. The referendum is expected to take place in November.

Two Armenian families from Kobani to arrive in Yerevan next week

August 27, 2015 By administrator

Two out of three Armenian families that have moved to Turkey escaping attacks of the Islamic State terrorists will arrive in Armenia in the end of this week.

Two families expressed willingness to come to Armenia during a meeting with Armenian Deputy Patriarch of Constantinople Archbishop Aram Ateshyan.

Three Armenian families from Kobani have been taken to a refugee camp in Urfa province of Turkey.

Archbishop Aram Ateshyan contacted Turkish Foreign Ministry and Armenian Diaspora Ministry to tackle the problem.

They will arrive in Armenia on August 30 accompanied by Aram Ateshyan

Yerevan: Policeman who hit elderly man dismissed

August 23, 2015 By administrator

The powers of a police patrol employee who hit yesterday an elderly demonstrator in Republic Square of Yerevan have been terminated, Panorama.am learned from the press service of the Armenian police. An internal investigation is being conducted into the incident.

‘Stand Up, Armenia’ initiative staged a rally in Republic Square of the city yesterday. Prior to the start of the rally, three organizers of the initiative were detained. The rally participants attempted to block a street, demanding the release of their friends. One of the policemen hit an elderly man as police tried to prevent demonstrators from blocking the street.

Human Rights Defender of Armenia Karen Andreasyan today made a statement strongly condemning the incident. “We expect law enforcement bodies to promptly reveal and impartially investigate all details of the incident and bring the policeman to account,” the statement said. Besides, on his own initiative the HRD started proceedings in connection with the events in downtown Yerevan on August 21.

Source: Panorama.a

Yerevan: Activists detained from Republic Square

August 23, 2015 By administrator

YEREVAN. – Three members of “Stand Up, Armenia” initiative, among them former presidential candidate Andrias Ghukasyan, were detained during the action in Republic Square on Friday.

The reason is activists’ refusal to remove tires that they had brought to build a stage.

According to the initiative members, the police officers took away personal belongings of the demonstrators.

The members of the “Stand up, Armenia” initiative staged a sit-in on July 27 in Yerevan’s Republic Square, demanding to revoke the decision on electricity price hike in Armenia.

ARMENIA The Yerevan municipality renovated 31 kindergartens

August 22, 2015 By administrator

Renovation works are ongoing in 31 municipal kindergartens in Yerevan reported the press office of the municipality of Yerevan.

Twenty-three kindergartens were included in the annual list of renovations as well as eight other kindergartens whose renovation began in 2014 according to the program.

The Gardens where renovation is needed are included and prioritized in the list after an inventory.

Yerevan’s Sports & Concerts Complex to be sold to private firm

August 13, 2015 By administrator

Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concerts Complex nonprofit organization, currently belonging to the Republic of Armenia and RA Defense Ministry, will be sold to NTAA Investment Group LLC at a price of $30 million.

According to the government’s decision, the buyer is bound to cover costs of property’s valuation worth AMD 2,120,000, engage in at least 6-month labor contracts with 99 employees currently working at the facility with monthly minimum wages of AMD 55,000, organize up to 5 events on government’s request per year within 10 years’ span.

The company must also ensure the people’s right to access Tsitsernakaberd, the Armenian Genocide Memorial freely.

By acquiring the Sports and Concerts Complex and redeveloping the surrounding areas, NTAA Investment Group LLC plans to implement a major investment project, total value of which exceeds $100 million. The investment project is scheduled to be implemented within 4 years: the complex will be renovated and turned into a family-oriented center, which will be the first of its kind not only in Armenia, but also in the region. The complex will include hotels, indoor waterpark, concert halls, meeting rooms, restaurants, shops and a casino.

The hotels will have more than 350 family rooms, the indoor waterpark will cover an area of more than 18,000 square meters and will operate round-year. The project will provide at least 250 new jobs.

The company must also contact international record labels, such as Virgin Records, Sony Records, EMI, while concert centers should cooperate with stars.

“Stand up, Armenia” movement’s 8th night at Yerevan Republic Square passes peacefully

August 5, 2015 By administrator

YEREVAN. – The eighth night of the “Stand up, Armenia” citizens’ movement sit-in at Republic Square in capital city Yerevan, and against the electricity price hike in the country, passed peacefully, initiative member Shavarsh Margaryan on Tuesday told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“We spent overnight with approximately ten people; everything went well,” said the activist. “There were policemen who were approaching us to see what we’re doing; passers-by also were approaching us.”

“Stand up, Armenia” Council member Davit Sanasaryan, who is also member of the opposition “Barev [Hello], Yerevan” faction at Yerevan Council, for his part, told us that the initiative will make a new statement Tuesday at the Republic Square.

The abovementioned citizens’ movement had announced on July 27 that it was starting a 72-hour sit-in at Republic Square. The police, however, do not permit them to approach the middle of the square.

The “Stand up, Armenia” initiative had stated that if the Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia does not revoke the decision to raise the electricity tariff in the country, they will start protests, conduct awareness visits to the provinces, and close off streets, as of July 27. Even though these 72 hours have passed, the activists are still at the square until they reach their objective and stage a sit-in in the middle of Republic Square.

Despite numerous protests, the PSRC of Armenia recently increased the price of electricity in the country by 6.93 drams—instead of 17 drams, proposed by the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) CJSC—, per cubic meter, and this decision took affect 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 Serzh Sargsyan, however, stated that the government will subsidize 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 should the audit show that the aforesaid increase in electricity tariff is unjustified, he does not rule out returning the ENA to the Armenian government and transferring it to competitive management.

source: NEWS.am