Experts: Armenian authorities' actions on improvement of energy system are largely influenced by protests

The protests against the increase of energy tariffs have contributed to the improvement in the Armenian energy system and solution of the accumulated problems. This opinion was expressed by political analyst Manvel Sargsyan. Economist Abel Manoukyan believes that as a result of the protests, an increase in electricity price can be avoided in the near future. Meanwhile, political analyst Andrias Gukasyan, a member of the movement "Arise, Armenia!", has criticized the government's decision to sell the Armenian electricity networks.

Despite the fact that the challenge, formulated by the demonstrators, has not been solved, the protests still have positive effects. This opinion was expressed by Manvel Sarkisyan, Director of the Armenian Centre for National and International Studies.

According to him, one of the achievements is in the fact that the government made a decision to subsidize the electricity tariffs. Besides, important steps have been made towards the improvement of the very energy system of Armenia (ESA).

Meanwhile, political analyst Andrias Gukasyan, a member of the movement "Arise, Armenia!", believes that the protests for the cancellation of the decision to increase electricity tariffs have played a more significant role: they have grown into a political movement. According to Andrias Gukasyan, "now, the movement 'Arise, Armenia!' has grown into a political movement, and it formulates a more important challenge to change the power in Armenia."

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