Armenian protesters urge president to cancel increase in electricity tariffs

Baku. 24 June. REPORT.AZ/ Protesters in Armenia’s capital Yerevan have called on the country’s president to revoke the electricity tariff hike, organizers of the rally said on Wednesday.

"Our demand is to adopt a presidential decree terminating action of a decision by the commission for regulating public services as of June 17 on increasing the electricity prices," the protesters said.

They expect the prime minister or the parliament speaker of the republic to announce a decision within a day. Lawyers, experts in energy and economists were involved in outlining the particular demand.

The rally has been held since Tuesday evening in one of Yerevan’s main streets, Marshal Baghramyan Avenue, which has been blocked by a barricade of plastic garbage cans. The demonstrators have defied the calls of police to remove these barricades.

A group coordinating the protest has discussed a proposal of President Serzh Sargsyan on a meeting but has been unable to solve an issue on the members of the delegation. Besides, many protesters have rejected the idea of the meeting initiated by the president.

The protesters announced that some young activists have launched a sit-in protest in Armenia’s second largest city Gyumri and called for organizing similar events across the country.