After protests, NKR authorities promise to introduce benefits for public transport users

In the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), activists declared the end of protest actions against the increase of public transport fares after the government promised to subsidize, starting next year, the fares for students and socially disadvantaged population.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the Mayoralty of Stepanakert, the KBR capital, decided to increase, since October 1, the cost of a public transport ticket from 70 to 100 drams. On September 24, a protest action was held in the capital against the decision; and on September 25, residents of Stepanakert handed over a letter to the Mayoralty demanding to annul the fare increase.

After a meeting with the protesters, the government decided to draft a bill with the aim to mitigate social consequences of the increased fare, Ara Arutyunyan, the NKR Prime Minister, said at his meeting with students of the Artsakh State University on October 1.

"The government has discussed the problem and decided to introduce, starting from January 1, 2015, compensations of public transport fares to students and vulnerable people, both in Stepanakert and in inter-district transport. So far, we consider alternative mechanisms of permanent or one-time tickets," said Arutyunyan.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.