Activists accuse Armenian authorities of failing promises to subsidize electricity tariff

The initiative group "No to robbery!" is preparing to resume acts of disobedience with the demand to cancel the decision to increase the electricity tariff. According to activists, the authorities failed with their promise to subsidize the difference with the new electricity tariff.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that since June 17 Armenia was holding protest actions against the decision to increase the electricity tariff by 6.93 drams per 1 kW/h. The authorities heard the protests and promised to conduct an audit of "Electric Grids of Armenia"; and until the end of the audit, the government promised to subsidize the tariff balance. However, it became known that employees of the electricity grids threaten to small and medium businesses to cut off supplies, if they refuse to sign contracts on payment for the service under the new tariff.

The company "Electric Grids of Armenia" is forcing small and medium businesses to pay for electricity under the new tariff, Artush Chibukhchyan, a member of the initiative group "No to robbery!", said on August 28 at a press conference.

He is confident that the country's accumulated problems can be solved exclusively by disobedience actions.

The initiative group intends to announce their future steps on September 1, during a protest action in the Garden of Lovers, located at the crossing of Bagramyan Avenue and Demirchyan Street, said the activist.

The initiative group will also fight against adoption of constitutional reforms, said Arthur Kocharyan, a member of the initiative group.

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