Armenian civic movement to protest electricity price rise
18.06.2015,
19:32
An Armenian civic movement called "Towards the Eurasian Economic Union’ will rally its supporters June 19 in Freedom Square in downtown Yerevan to protest the latest rise in electricity price.
YEREVAN, June 18, / ARKA /. An Armenian civic movement called "Towards the Eurasian Economic Union’ will rally its supporters June 19 in Freedom Square in downtown Yerevan to protest the latest rise in electricity price.
One of its activists, Ashot Poghosyan, who is also chairman of a party called Protection of National Values, said the protesters will send a letter to Russian president Putin with a request to look into the problem and propose a solution.
On June 17 Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) formally raised the prices of electricity by over 16 percent, down from 40 percent rise sought by Armenia’s Russian-owned power distribution company - the Electricity Networks of Armenia (ENA). This means that the daytime electricity price for households will rise from 42 drams to almost 49 drams (10 U.S. cents) per kilowatt/hour. The households will pay almost 39 drams per kilowatt/hour during night hours.
The daytime electricity price for households already went up by 27 percent in July 2013 because of the increased cost of Russian natural gas generating more than one-third of Armenia’s electricity. The PSRC raised it by another 10 percent in July 2014.
"We are dissatisfied with the increase in electricity tariffs. We took part in the discussions held by PSRC repeatedly demanding that Armenian authorities reconsider their decision, but they did not reckon with us. This is why we are going to ask president Putin to help settle this problem because ENA’s chief director Yevgeny Bibin has ignored the opinion of the Armenian people, skipping PSRC meeting,’ he said.
According to him, all this may lead to increased tension in Armenia and whip up anti-Russian sentiment.
"The Armenian-Russian friendship is deeply rooted in history, and we will not allow anyone to drive a wedge between our peoples. I even believe that this is another provocation of the West, directed primarily against Russia,' he claimed.
Poghosyan also noted that the increase in electricity tariffs will provoke a rise in prices for many other commodities, cause a decline in the living standards of the population, in birth rate and trigger a new wave of our-emigration.
Armenuhi Ghazaryan, another activist of the civic movement, said at tomorrow's rally the protesters will demand the resignation of the Armenian authorities.
'If they can not rule the country, and are indifferent to the fate of their country fellows, they must go and let rule those who are able to work,' she said, adding that the movement" will seek the cancellation of the PSRC's decision.
The Electricity Networks of Armenia is a 100% subsidiary of Russian INTER RAO UES. ($ 1 - 473.96 drams). --0-
One of its activists, Ashot Poghosyan, who is also chairman of a party called Protection of National Values, said the protesters will send a letter to Russian president Putin with a request to look into the problem and propose a solution.
On June 17 Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) formally raised the prices of electricity by over 16 percent, down from 40 percent rise sought by Armenia’s Russian-owned power distribution company - the Electricity Networks of Armenia (ENA). This means that the daytime electricity price for households will rise from 42 drams to almost 49 drams (10 U.S. cents) per kilowatt/hour. The households will pay almost 39 drams per kilowatt/hour during night hours.
The daytime electricity price for households already went up by 27 percent in July 2013 because of the increased cost of Russian natural gas generating more than one-third of Armenia’s electricity. The PSRC raised it by another 10 percent in July 2014.
"We are dissatisfied with the increase in electricity tariffs. We took part in the discussions held by PSRC repeatedly demanding that Armenian authorities reconsider their decision, but they did not reckon with us. This is why we are going to ask president Putin to help settle this problem because ENA’s chief director Yevgeny Bibin has ignored the opinion of the Armenian people, skipping PSRC meeting,’ he said.
According to him, all this may lead to increased tension in Armenia and whip up anti-Russian sentiment.
"The Armenian-Russian friendship is deeply rooted in history, and we will not allow anyone to drive a wedge between our peoples. I even believe that this is another provocation of the West, directed primarily against Russia,' he claimed.
Poghosyan also noted that the increase in electricity tariffs will provoke a rise in prices for many other commodities, cause a decline in the living standards of the population, in birth rate and trigger a new wave of our-emigration.
Armenuhi Ghazaryan, another activist of the civic movement, said at tomorrow's rally the protesters will demand the resignation of the Armenian authorities.
'If they can not rule the country, and are indifferent to the fate of their country fellows, they must go and let rule those who are able to work,' she said, adding that the movement" will seek the cancellation of the PSRC's decision.
The Electricity Networks of Armenia is a 100% subsidiary of Russian INTER RAO UES. ($ 1 - 473.96 drams). --0-
