23 September 2020, 21:36
In Yerevan, labour migrants go on hunger strike
In Yerevan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met protesters who demanded to open the borders with Russia. The authorities do not cancel the emergency regime introduced because of the epidemic, while families and jobs remained abroad, the protesters explain.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 3, residents of Armenia already went to a protest action with the demand to resume communication with Russia.
In spring, Armenia closed state borders because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the quarantine was extended until January 2021.
To attract the authorities' attention, the protesters went on a hunger strike. On September 23, they were met by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. "He was very kind and explained that the situation was difficult because of the spread of the coronavirus infection. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister promised to resolve the problem as soon as possible and discuss it at a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council to be held in Yerevan on October 8. However, we say that we cannot wait so long," said Arthur Voskanyan, a participant of the action "I want to go to Russia", as quoted by the "Sputnik Armenia".
The protesters announce that they are ready to stay in front of the building of the Armenian government for days, the "Arcakh24" reports.
The author of the "Nagornye Povoroty. Karabakh" blog at the "Caucasian Knot" notes that the closure of the state borders because of the epidemic came as a surprise to migrants. "Here they have neither a home, nor a job. The money ran out in six months, but they still have to survive somehow," the blogger wrote.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 23, 2020 at 01:09 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
