Struggle against Street Trade in Yerevan Continuous

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS: The struggle against street trade in the capital will be continuous, according to Hovhannes Ghalechyan, chief specialist of Yerevan Municipality department of trade and service.

He said today at a meeting with journalists that the ban of street trade is a legislative requirement. Hovhannes Ghalechyan mentioned that those, who are engaged in street trade, were not told to give up their business. He said they are just required to change the place, where the seller and buyer meet. He mentioned that the markets of the capital are underloaded and a number of pavilions are available there.

As to the rent of market pavilions, Hovhannes Ghalechyan mentioned that an agreement was reached with the directors of Yerevan’s markets on provision of free-of-charge pavilions to those, who moved their business from streets to markets, for the first months. Besides, small markets will be built in the capital. Instructions have already been given to the heads of official districts. The mayor’s representative mentioned that there are 9 proposals on small market construction and they are under discussion now.

According to Armen Poghosyan, chairman of ‘Consumers Association’, such an initiative by the municipality is welcome. He says each citizen has a right to go for a walk in the city; however street trade was limiting those opportunities. He mentioned that the former mayors were speaking about the issue of street trade, but there were no any concrete actions in that direction.