Some 3000 places provided to former street vendors at Yerevan markets
21.02.2011,
20:24
A senior official of the Yerevan Municipality said today some 3000 retail trade places have been created at the city’s markets for former street vendors who ‘lost their jobs’ after mayor Karen Karapetian ordered the ban on street trade in late January.
YEREVAN, February 21, /ARKA/. A senior official of the Yerevan Municipality said today some 3000 retail trade places have been created at the city’s markets for former street vendors who ‘lost their jobs’ after mayor Karen Karapetian ordered the ban on street trade in late January.
Speaking at a news conference, Hovhannes Ghalechian, an official of a municipality department in charge of trade, said the municipality continues the fight against street trade having dismantled hundreds of unsanctioned counters.
‘We do not ban trade, we ban trade at unsanctioned places. All vendors who used to trade on streets can move to markets which have allocated 3,000 places for them,’ he said.
In his words, there are about 2,500 ex-street vendors. He said some 200 of them have already moved to markets, but several tens continue to defy the order.
The Yerevan police began enforcing the decision late January clearing sidewalks of people selling a wide range of goods - from fruits and vegetables to construction materials. Many hundreds of traders protested outside the mayor's office on January 19 and 20 to express anger at the measure.
‘No action against the law can be justified on social grounds," said Ghalechian today, adding that street trade is not only illegal by law but also dangerous for health. He then downplayed speculations that former street traders are reluctant to shift their trade to legally permitted places because if psychological problems. He said the municipality never said that street trade was allowed in Yerevan. The decision was backed by Armen Poghosian, chairman of the Association of Armenian Consumers, who said street trade posed danger to public health. -0-
Speaking at a news conference, Hovhannes Ghalechian, an official of a municipality department in charge of trade, said the municipality continues the fight against street trade having dismantled hundreds of unsanctioned counters.
‘We do not ban trade, we ban trade at unsanctioned places. All vendors who used to trade on streets can move to markets which have allocated 3,000 places for them,’ he said.
In his words, there are about 2,500 ex-street vendors. He said some 200 of them have already moved to markets, but several tens continue to defy the order.
The Yerevan police began enforcing the decision late January clearing sidewalks of people selling a wide range of goods - from fruits and vegetables to construction materials. Many hundreds of traders protested outside the mayor's office on January 19 and 20 to express anger at the measure.
‘No action against the law can be justified on social grounds," said Ghalechian today, adding that street trade is not only illegal by law but also dangerous for health. He then downplayed speculations that former street traders are reluctant to shift their trade to legally permitted places because if psychological problems. He said the municipality never said that street trade was allowed in Yerevan. The decision was backed by Armen Poghosian, chairman of the Association of Armenian Consumers, who said street trade posed danger to public health. -0-
