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Fare Treatment: Activists Stage Protest Against Transport Fares; Two

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  • Fare Treatment: Activists Stage Protest Against Transport Fares; Two

    FARE TREATMENT: ACTIVISTS STAGE PROTEST AGAINST TRANSPORT FARES; TWO DETAINED

    http://www.armenianow.com/news/49667/armenia_public_transport_yerevan_fares_protest
    NEWS | 31.10.13 | 14:45

    Photolure

    Gohar Abrahamyan
    ArmeniaNow reporter

    A group of young activists in a continuous struggle against the
    decision on raising bus fares in the Armenian capital have held another
    act of protest in front of the Yerevan City Hall, during which the
    protestors and the police clashed. Two activists have been detained.

    Thursday morning, representatives of the Armenian National Congress,
    Heritage and Hayazn parties' youth wings made an attempt to enter
    the municipality building to take part in the meeting of the City
    Council members.

    "Today was the meeting of the City Council, we wanted to participate as
    well: the sessions are open for attendance, as provided for by the RA
    legislation, but we were not permitted to enter, moreover the police
    - typical of their work style of recent times - illegally took away
    two of our friends Vahagn Minasyan and Dvin Isayans," says Activist
    Armen Lazarian.

    Hayazn party board member Armen Hovhannisyan adds that they had
    drafted a joint statement to present during the meeting of the city
    elders, saying that today's council of elders of Yerevan is no longer
    an independent body and is failing to represent Yerevan residents'
    public interest.

    "First of all we demand to immediately annul the decision on raising
    the bus fare and remove corrupt officials. If the City Council has
    stepped out of the law and is no longer accountable to people, then
    people will resort to acts of mass disobedience," says Hovhannisyan,
    reminding that three activists had gone on a 100-day sit-in strike
    demanding to "dismiss oligarchs, corrupt officials who stand out
    for their criminal conduct", however the city hall did not respond,
    by that becoming an accomplice in the criminal activities of present.

    In July, Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan suspended the application of
    his decision to raise the transport fares (from 100 drams to 150 (36
    cents) and from 50 to 100 (24 cents)) after a weeklong civil protest
    in the Armenian capital. He also stated that a commission of experts
    and concerned citizens would be formed to develop all the mechanisms
    that would allow completing the decision on "Reconsideration of the
    passenger transportation fares in Yerevan city". The civil activists,
    not satisfied with this solution, continued the standoff and demanded
    dismissal of several high-ranking officials.

    Days ago first deputy mayor Kamo Arevyan said in reference to the
    work of the transport commission that the public transport fare would
    be raised in Yerevan in any case and that citizens would have to get
    used to it, because it is a forced step dictated by increased expenses.

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