Desperate Armenian authorities blame their own people for provocation

/By AzerNews/

By Laman Sadigova

The electricity price hike protests in Armenia continue into the third week, drawing criticism from the government.

Davit Sanasaryan, a protest representative stated that protesters plan to launch a new campaign called “Step forward” - the protesters menace to move the garbage cans every day, serving them with barricades - if the government does not fulfill their demands by the evening of July 6. They are requesting that the government cancel the increase in tariffs and punish the officers responsible for police brutality at the June 23 rally.

Sanasaryan has also urged representatives of Armenian Diaspora to protest in front of the Armenian embassies in other countries.

"They artificially create a situation in which clashes with the police are more likely. This is actually done in order to attract new people to Baghramyan Avenue, " said Yerevan Deputy Chief of Police Valery Osipyan, adding that the police will act in accordance with the situation.

The strange reaction of Osipyan indeed raised questions. By his words, one can infer that protesters have no intention to see results, but only to provoke the government.

Thus far, the government has refused to fulfill the protesters’ requirements. It seems as though the government once more has proven that it is losing power in its own country and cannot give citizens the rights to which they are entitled.

The Commission on Regulation of Public Services in Armenia in its June 17 meeting approved a decision to increase electricity tariffs by 6.93 Armenian drams (about $0.015). As a result, starting on August 1 consumers would have been required to pay 48.78 drams instead of the current 41.85 per 1 kWh per day.