YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. Complaints are signals. They are and should always be present and officials should be alert as regards these signals. Armenia’s Chief of Police Vladimir Gasparyan expressed this point of view when he was talking to a few young people on Baghramyan Avenue. As Armenpress reports, the Chief of Police particularly highlighted, “The police are maximally tolerant. They are tolerant because they know that if there is someone in delusion, it is necessary to save them from this delusion using words and mind. We do not want guys to break and lose faith. Turmoil isn’t appropriate for our country. We should go our way with peace.”   

The new electricity tariff was approved at the session of Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia on June 17.  The electricity price has increased by 6,93 AMD, reaching 48,78 AMD per 1 kWh. Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC had suggested increasing the electricity price by 17 AMD per 1 kWh. 

237 citizens protesting against electricity price hike were arrested from Baghramyan Avenue and the territory near the Freedom Square on June 23 for violating the public order. The police used physical force and special measures towards the violators. The police dispersed the demonstration by using water cannon, and detained a number of journalists and activists protesting against the increase in the electricity price. They were later released and the protest continued on Baghramyan Avenue for days. After Armenia’s President’s statement on June 27 the participants of the “No to Plunder” initiative decided to stop the sit-in on Baghramyan Avenue and moved to the Freedom Square. Only a part of the protestors remained on Baghramyan Avenue, guided by different political forces.