No mass demolition of kiosks to be conducted in Armenian capital, Yerevan Mayor asserts

The inventory conducted by the Mayoralty revealed: which kiosks work legally, and which – illegally. Demolition of idle and illegally operating kiosks will be implemented in the nearest future. This was announced at the today's government meeting by Karen Karapetyan, Mayor of Yerevan.

According to the Mayor, the inventory revealed that there were 3395 kiosks in Yerevan, including 1180 idle kiosks; 912 idle kiosks had been already demolished, another 226 were to be dismantled. "We demolish those kiosks that hinder the normal life of the city. Pavilions, which work legally, will not be dismantled," the Mayor stated.

"I don't think that owners of the kiosks, located in the central streets of the city, are poor people. The Mayoralty is not obliged to provide them with compensation or any alternative options. However, in regard to socially disadvantaged people who worked at that kiosks, the heads of administrative districts had been clearly instructed to provide these people with job or compensation," Karen Karapetyan declared.

In his turn, Tigran Sargsyan, Prime Minister, emphasized the need to solve emerging social problems. "In their letters, sent to the government, citizens mention that many pavilions' owners took loans, having listened to the leadership's calls, and renovated their pavilions; and in case of their demolition they would be face a difficult situation."

During the government's meeting, about 200 people gathered at the government building, demanding resignation of the Yerevan Mayor.