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ONE FOR THE REBELS: TRANSPORT FARE INCREASE SUSPENDED IN WAKE OF UNIFIED PUBLIC REACTION
http://www.armenianow.com/news/48076/taron_margaryan_yerevan_transport_fares_facebook_a ctivism
NEWS | 26.07.13 | 16:27
Photolure
By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Last night Yerevan was celebrating the victory of "transport-democratic
revolution". In the central square of the Armenian capital young
activists who had protested against the increase of public transport
fare congratulated one another and marched the streets chanting
"hagh-ta-nak" (victory) . For almost a week they had been encouraging
people to "pay 100 drams" (the former rate), and last night finally
came the happy news.
Enlarge Photo
In his address Yerevan mayor Taron Margaryan instructed to create a
commission of experts and interested individuals who would manage to
develop all those mechanisms in a few months' time, that would allow
completing the municipal decree "on reconsideration of the intercity
transportation fares in the city of Yerevan"; meanwhile, the mayor
said, the practical application of the decree will be suspended.
The Facebook (FB) Armenian community was jubilating after the mayor's
announcement.
"This is not the defeat of mayor Taron Margaryan and the authorities,
this is the Armenian citizens' victory, this is the victory of the
Republic of Armenia, this is the defeat of the slave ideology in us...
Taron, Serzh, and others, are mere names of those holding their
respective posts and those names will keep changing, the price of
their defeat does not matter to me, the only lasting value is the
Armenian citizen's being a MASTER..." wrote Heritage party member
David Sanasaryan on his FB wall.
The standoff against the 12-cent increase of bus rates effective
of July 20 turned Yerevan into a united capital. Young activists
persistently fought and spread the spirit through the mini-buses
and buses from one end of the city to the other. People protested
by not paying the new price of 150 drams (37 cents), walking rather
than using transport, by carpooling - offering free rides on their
private vehicles.
"All this brought the memories of Yerevan during 1988-89, when people
were kind, united, lending a helping hand to one another. I was shocked
when a young man offered me and few others a free ride from Mashtots
avenue to Erebuni [from center to a suburb]," says Yerevan resident
Hasmik Antonyan.
"People feel somehow related to one another, and when a 'Jeep-owner
picks up some complete strangers from a bus stop, those passengers do
not think 'how come he has a Brabus and I don't?'. Because it is much
more important to stay human than having a Brabus or being popular,"
writes editor-in-chief of Aravot daily in an editorial.
FreeCar.am-Free Transport Guide portal has been created within the
"Free car, we will not pay 150 drams" drive.
One of the co-authors, web developer Grigor Yeghiazaryan told
ArmeniaNow that everything started with a post on Facebeook. It was
an announcement expressing willingness to help transport people. Other
users started posting similar statuses.
"The website has been functioning for two days only and we have had
253 posts, 522 registered users, who might later make their own posts.
The first day we had 12,000 visits, the second day 11,657. The bus
rate remained the same, but the website will continue working, the
Carpool concept has long existed in the world. I believe it will also
work in Armenia, as Armenians are more outgoing, we trust one another,
which is not typical of many other nations," says Yeghiazaryan.
Mayor Margaryan in his address also reflected on the acts of protest
and drives held by the youth, as well as to their calls and slogans.
"I rejoice over the warmth that can again be observed among Yerevan
residents, in terms of their willingness to help and support one
another. That warmth is a value we have to do our best to keep to
ensure great and lasting achievements," he said.
Human rights activist Artur Sakunts made a post on his FB page
congratulating the "preliminary victory" of the citizens of Armenia,
but stressing that it is, nonetheless, preliminary, because the
decree was illegal to start with, for not having been publicized,
hence its implementation, too, was illegal.
http://www.armenianow.com/news/48076/taron_margaryan_yerevan_transport_fares_facebook_a ctivism
NEWS | 26.07.13 | 16:27
Photolure
By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Last night Yerevan was celebrating the victory of "transport-democratic
revolution". In the central square of the Armenian capital young
activists who had protested against the increase of public transport
fare congratulated one another and marched the streets chanting
"hagh-ta-nak" (victory) . For almost a week they had been encouraging
people to "pay 100 drams" (the former rate), and last night finally
came the happy news.
Enlarge Photo
In his address Yerevan mayor Taron Margaryan instructed to create a
commission of experts and interested individuals who would manage to
develop all those mechanisms in a few months' time, that would allow
completing the municipal decree "on reconsideration of the intercity
transportation fares in the city of Yerevan"; meanwhile, the mayor
said, the practical application of the decree will be suspended.
The Facebook (FB) Armenian community was jubilating after the mayor's
announcement.
"This is not the defeat of mayor Taron Margaryan and the authorities,
this is the Armenian citizens' victory, this is the victory of the
Republic of Armenia, this is the defeat of the slave ideology in us...
Taron, Serzh, and others, are mere names of those holding their
respective posts and those names will keep changing, the price of
their defeat does not matter to me, the only lasting value is the
Armenian citizen's being a MASTER..." wrote Heritage party member
David Sanasaryan on his FB wall.
The standoff against the 12-cent increase of bus rates effective
of July 20 turned Yerevan into a united capital. Young activists
persistently fought and spread the spirit through the mini-buses
and buses from one end of the city to the other. People protested
by not paying the new price of 150 drams (37 cents), walking rather
than using transport, by carpooling - offering free rides on their
private vehicles.
"All this brought the memories of Yerevan during 1988-89, when people
were kind, united, lending a helping hand to one another. I was shocked
when a young man offered me and few others a free ride from Mashtots
avenue to Erebuni [from center to a suburb]," says Yerevan resident
Hasmik Antonyan.
"People feel somehow related to one another, and when a 'Jeep-owner
picks up some complete strangers from a bus stop, those passengers do
not think 'how come he has a Brabus and I don't?'. Because it is much
more important to stay human than having a Brabus or being popular,"
writes editor-in-chief of Aravot daily in an editorial.
FreeCar.am-Free Transport Guide portal has been created within the
"Free car, we will not pay 150 drams" drive.
One of the co-authors, web developer Grigor Yeghiazaryan told
ArmeniaNow that everything started with a post on Facebeook. It was
an announcement expressing willingness to help transport people. Other
users started posting similar statuses.
"The website has been functioning for two days only and we have had
253 posts, 522 registered users, who might later make their own posts.
The first day we had 12,000 visits, the second day 11,657. The bus
rate remained the same, but the website will continue working, the
Carpool concept has long existed in the world. I believe it will also
work in Armenia, as Armenians are more outgoing, we trust one another,
which is not typical of many other nations," says Yeghiazaryan.
Mayor Margaryan in his address also reflected on the acts of protest
and drives held by the youth, as well as to their calls and slogans.
"I rejoice over the warmth that can again be observed among Yerevan
residents, in terms of their willingness to help and support one
another. That warmth is a value we have to do our best to keep to
ensure great and lasting achievements," he said.
Human rights activist Artur Sakunts made a post on his FB page
congratulating the "preliminary victory" of the citizens of Armenia,
but stressing that it is, nonetheless, preliminary, because the
decree was illegal to start with, for not having been publicized,
hence its implementation, too, was illegal.