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MINIBUS STRIKES: PUBLIC TRANSPORT DRIVERS DEMAND RISE IN FARE AMID INCREASE IN LNG PRICES
SOCIETY | 18.12.14 | 14:49
Alina Nikoghosyan
ArmeniaNow intern
A number of minibus drivers in Yerevan continued their strike today
protesting the increase of liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices which
went up from 180 to 230 drams in recent days (an increase of about
10 cents according to current exchange rates).
Enlarge Photo
Many relate the LNG price increase to current fluctuation in the
currency market. Last night one dollar in Yerevan was sold for 570 AMD,
while still in mid-November it cost around 420 AMD.
Chairman of the Transport Companies' Union Hrant Yeghiazaryan
suggests revising the calculations that exist and according to those
calculations define a tariff, part of which will be compensated by
the state and the other part by passengers.
According to Yeghiazaryan, upon approximate calculations public
transportation tariff should be 300 AMD, and 100 of it will be paid
by the passenger and 200 - by the state.
"There are two ways, for the first one the government will invite
and say either that they have the savings, that they can temporarily
provide financing from those means, or that we do not give anything,
go do as you wish," Yeghiazaryan told reporters on Thursday, adding
that anything that has been done so far was done by the drivers.
According to Yeghiazaryan, since 2008 public transport companies
work barely making the ends meet, there are companies that collapsed,
other are on the way to closure.
"It is too late already to work with 150 AMD," said Yeghiazaryan,
adding that if extra 50 drams had been added to the fare before,
it would have provided a sort of "buffer" for modernizing equipments.
Yerevan authorities' attempt to raise the public transport fare by 50
percent in July 2013 met with strong opposition from civil activists
and the decision eventually had to be reconsidered.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
SOCIETY | 18.12.14 | 14:49
Alina Nikoghosyan
ArmeniaNow intern
A number of minibus drivers in Yerevan continued their strike today
protesting the increase of liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices which
went up from 180 to 230 drams in recent days (an increase of about
10 cents according to current exchange rates).
Enlarge Photo
Many relate the LNG price increase to current fluctuation in the
currency market. Last night one dollar in Yerevan was sold for 570 AMD,
while still in mid-November it cost around 420 AMD.
Chairman of the Transport Companies' Union Hrant Yeghiazaryan
suggests revising the calculations that exist and according to those
calculations define a tariff, part of which will be compensated by
the state and the other part by passengers.
According to Yeghiazaryan, upon approximate calculations public
transportation tariff should be 300 AMD, and 100 of it will be paid
by the passenger and 200 - by the state.
"There are two ways, for the first one the government will invite
and say either that they have the savings, that they can temporarily
provide financing from those means, or that we do not give anything,
go do as you wish," Yeghiazaryan told reporters on Thursday, adding
that anything that has been done so far was done by the drivers.
According to Yeghiazaryan, since 2008 public transport companies
work barely making the ends meet, there are companies that collapsed,
other are on the way to closure.
"It is too late already to work with 150 AMD," said Yeghiazaryan,
adding that if extra 50 drams had been added to the fare before,
it would have provided a sort of "buffer" for modernizing equipments.
Yerevan authorities' attempt to raise the public transport fare by 50
percent in July 2013 met with strong opposition from civil activists
and the decision eventually had to be reconsidered.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress