Yerevan hosts opposition rally

In Yerevan, Freedom Square hosts a new rally of the oppositional Armenian National Congress (ANC), which started at 5:40 p.m. Moscow time.

At the beginning of the rally, the participants held a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the terror act which occurred on October 27, 1999, and took lives of eight public and political figures. "The organizers of the massacre at the Parliament will be brought to people's justice, like it happens in the Arab world," said in this connection Nikol Pashinyan, the representative of the ANC, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Armenian Time".

Grant Bagratyan, ex-Prime Minister, raised the question concerning the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP) and, in particular, the information about its possible closure.

"Why all countries all of a sudden began to express their concern about our nuclear power plants: Turkey, Azerbaijan, and the European Union? And why talks of its possible closure suddenly started? Whom our government wants to please? We support and will support staff members of the ANPP," said Grant Bagratyan.

He believes that the salary growth of 10 per cent for the staff members of the ANPP is very small. "The cost value of electricity generated at our ANPP is not higher than the French one. Why French workers get salaries of about five thousand euros, and salaries of our ANPP's staff members are so little?" asked the ex-Prime Minister.

According to Aram Manukyan, Chairman of the "Armenian National Movement" Party, on the eve of the rally, the authorities blocked many roads leading to Yerevan. "It got to the point that policemen stopped and sent back buses from the cities of Goris and Alaverdi," stressed Aram Manukyan.

Anna and Miran, employees of a bank, who watched the action from Northern Avenue, treat rallies as a form of political struggle. According to them, Armenia needs changes; however, the opposition failed to achieve anything and would hardly achieve anything in future by such actions.

"They would better think about coming parliamentary elections appointed for next spring to enter the National Assembly. Then, this struggle becomes more urgent," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Miran.

According to a pensioner Svetlana Madoyan, all people are concerned about the situation in the country, since life became very difficult. According to her, first of all, people are concerned about prices, lack of access to education and unemployment.

"However, I do not see if these rallies and demonstrations change anything. I do not what to do, I wish it would not even worse," stressed the pensioner.

Liana R., a young teacher from the city of Masis, believes that people should struggle for their rights. "How can you fail to believe in struggle? Everyone should know that we have a strong opposition and people are willing to struggle for their rights. After all, due to this movement, unjustly convicted political activists were released," emphasized Liana R.

Police squads deployed in the areas adjacent to Freedom Square behave with restraint.