Head of Armenia’s police call on demonstrators to keep order

YEREVAN, June 26. /ARKA/. Head of Armenia’s police Vladimir Gasparyan came to Baghramyan Avenue on Friday early morning calling on demonstrators to keep the peace and order and promising ‘everything will be ok’ in that case.

Gasparyan suggested activists providing an access to the garbage truck for waste collection and removal.

Demonstrators are now cleaning the street, which will be followed by street flushing.

Sit-in participants intend to continue their protest unless the decision about the electricity price increase is cancelled by president Serzh Sargsyan.

The head of the police talked also to opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan who spent the night in Baghramyan, Radio Liberty reports.

Pashinyan told journalists that he reminded Gasparyan of June 23 early morning events and urged the head of the police to punish the policemen who used violence towards citizens.

About 6,000 people participated in the night sit-in, the police says, according to Radio Liberty. No incident occurred, the sit-in is under way.

Since June 19 ‘No To Plunder’ campaign participants have been holding demonstrations and sit-in in Yerevan against the rising electricity prices. Early morning on June 23, the police used water cannons to disperse peaceful demonstrators in Baghramyan Avenue that left 25 people injured. Baghramyan Avenue remains blocked.

Demonstrators demand to cancel Public Services Regulatory Commission’s decision to increase electricity tariffs by about 16.7% effective from August 1. The bidder, Electric Networks of Armenia, asked for a 40.8% increase in their application to the regulatory body. –0--