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SUCCESSFUL PROTEST AGAINST YEREVAN BUS FARE INCREASES
Transitions Online, Czech Rep.
July 30 2013
Armenian civil society is debating whether a successful protest
against public transit fare hikes marks a turning point or just
another political skirmish, EurasiaNet.org writes.
Taron Margarian
On 25 July Yerevan Mayor Taron Margarian reversed the fare hikes
after a five-day bus boycott and city hall protest. On 20 July the
price of a trolleybus ride doubled, to 100 drams ($0.24), and bus and
minibus fares went up from 100 to 150 drams. The city had blamed the
fare increases on rising fuel prices.
Stepan Safarian of the opposition Heritage Party hailed the protest's
success as a sign that "society made authorities understand that
[people] will no longer ... put up with robbery and the violation
of its rights," EurasiaNet.org writes. Sociologist Isabella Sarksian
said she hoped the week's events would encourage young people to get
more involved in civil society.
But Galust Sahakian, deputy chairman of the governing Republican
Party of Armenia, said, "If the government wants, it can stop the
[protest] movement in a night," although he voiced support for the
demonstrations. He also called on the public to "show restraint and
not act as heroes."
Such a well-organized demonstration could not have happened
spontaneously, analyst Armen Badalian told EurasiaNet.org. The real
point of the exercise was an intra-party ploy to weaken Margarian,
he suggested. The mayor is seen as a possible Republican Party
presidential candidate.
Although large demonstrations are rare in Armenia, protests broke
out in February after President Serzh Sargsyan was re-elected amid
fraud allegations from other candidates.
http://www.tol.org/client/article/23881-skopje-remembers-63-quake-yerevan-bus-riders-cheer-fare-cut.html
Transitions Online, Czech Rep.
July 30 2013
Armenian civil society is debating whether a successful protest
against public transit fare hikes marks a turning point or just
another political skirmish, EurasiaNet.org writes.
Taron Margarian
On 25 July Yerevan Mayor Taron Margarian reversed the fare hikes
after a five-day bus boycott and city hall protest. On 20 July the
price of a trolleybus ride doubled, to 100 drams ($0.24), and bus and
minibus fares went up from 100 to 150 drams. The city had blamed the
fare increases on rising fuel prices.
Stepan Safarian of the opposition Heritage Party hailed the protest's
success as a sign that "society made authorities understand that
[people] will no longer ... put up with robbery and the violation
of its rights," EurasiaNet.org writes. Sociologist Isabella Sarksian
said she hoped the week's events would encourage young people to get
more involved in civil society.
But Galust Sahakian, deputy chairman of the governing Republican
Party of Armenia, said, "If the government wants, it can stop the
[protest] movement in a night," although he voiced support for the
demonstrations. He also called on the public to "show restraint and
not act as heroes."
Such a well-organized demonstration could not have happened
spontaneously, analyst Armen Badalian told EurasiaNet.org. The real
point of the exercise was an intra-party ploy to weaken Margarian,
he suggested. The mayor is seen as a possible Republican Party
presidential candidate.
Although large demonstrations are rare in Armenia, protests broke
out in February after President Serzh Sargsyan was re-elected amid
fraud allegations from other candidates.
http://www.tol.org/client/article/23881-skopje-remembers-63-quake-yerevan-bus-riders-cheer-fare-cut.html