Yerevan sets up commission to address public transport fares

On July 29, at the working meeting, Taron Margaryan, Yerevan Mayor, instructed his advisor on transport to create a commission to discuss the earlier decision to raise public transport fares. The commission is to be formed within a week, and it may include members of the Council of Elders, professionals and experts in the field concerned, and civil society activists. This was reported by the Department of Information and Public Relations of the Yerevan Mayoralty.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the new tariffs, which raised fares in buses and route taxis of Yerevan from 100 drams (7.9 roubles) up to 150 drams (11.8 roubles), entered into force on July 20. On July 25, against the background of protests, Taron Margaryan, Yerevan Mayor, announced that the decision was suspended.

Since July 26, in front of the City Mayoralty, activists hold sitting permanent picket, demanding to dismiss Genrikh Navasardyan, Chief of the Department for Transport of the Mayoralty, and Misak Ambartsumyan, Director of the Closed Joint-Stock Company (CJSC)"Yerevantrans", and to carry out reforms in the transport sector.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan treats the ongoing protests as "spontaneous, though some political forces are trying to politicize them." This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent at the press service of the government.

"The Prime Minister has ordered that henceforth decisions of social value should be made by public hearings and debates, since Armenia forms civilian forces that should be taken into account," the press service has emphasized.