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PROTEST IN STEPANAKERT: RESIDENTS IN KARABAKH CAPITAL TO MARCH AGAINST RISE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARE
SOCIETY | 24.09.14 | 10:58
http://armenianow.com/society/57062/armenia_karabakh_stepanakert_transport_fare
NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow
By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
A protest march against the upcoming rise in public transport fares
is expected to be held in the Nagorno-Karabakh capital of Stepanakert
on Wednesday. Many local residents believe that the rise from 70 to
100 drams ($0.17-$0.25) per ride planned from October 1 is ungrounded.
Observers say that civil society in Karabakh is not as active as
in Armenia yet and that there are few problems that people in the
country living in a de-facto state of war are willing to complain about
publicly. Today, however, public discontent seems to be particularly
strong with the decision of the municipal authorities. The protest
march is expected to start in front of the Stepanakert city hall and
proceed along the streets of the capital.
Citizens have even organized themselves into a pressure group called
"I'm Against the Rise In Public Transport Fares in Stepanakert",
calling on their countrymen to stand up for their rights and interests.
Stepanakert resident Knar Babayan says like many others she is also
against the planned rise in bus fares.
"I think it is only right to stage this protest. Let them [authorities]
know that not everyone can afford to pay 100 drams per ride."
"As an excuse the companies mention the rise in prices for diesel
fuel and other products. But let's not forget that only part of our
citizens saw their salaries increase recently, while others have
to continue to live off their same meager salaries in conditions
of growing inflation. Many of my friends and I myself were not
beneficiaries of the latest rise in salaries," the woman complains.
Babayan says that no public transport discounts are given to students,
disabled people, war veterans. Besides, interurban transport fares
have already been raised in the past few years because of the rise
in diesel fuel prices. Thus, while it would cost a commuter 600 drams
before to travel from Stepanakert to Martuni, now the bus fare is 800
drams. But, according to the woman, nothing has changed in terms of
the quality of the service.
Stepanakert city authorities announced the planned rise in the tariff
still in late August. According to the press service of the Stepanakert
Municipality, Mayor Suren Grigoryan said during a working meeting
then that they had received applications from the Stepanakert-Service
and Mher companies requesting a rise in the fare rate. The operators
explained that they have worked at the same rate for 7 years and that
they can no longer work at a profit in conditions of the current rate.
Invoking the increase in the prices of fuel and spare parts, one
of the companies requested setting the new rate at 112 drams, while
the other called for a 120-dram fare. Stepanakert's mayor, however,
after discussions, settled for a price of 100 drams (about 25 cents),
at the same time calling on transport service providing companies to
be sensible and scrupulously fulfill all their contractual obligations.
"The streets should always be in good conditions and people should
really feel on a daily basis the improving quality of service, that
is, why the change in the fare has happened," Grigoryan emphasized,
according to the municipality's website.
After the statement of the municipality, the local National Revival
party studied the situation, conducting meetings at transportation
companies, at the municipality and the Artsakh investment fund,
as well as a survey among 288 residents.
"The claims that the routes operated by Stepanakert-Service are
unprofitable raise doubts, especially given the fact that the daily
fares expected to be collected by drivers at both Stepanakert-Service
CJSC and Mher LTD are the same," the party wrote on its website after
completing the studies. It stressed that "the rise in public transport
fares in Stepanakert will cause additional social tensions in society."
The survey conducted by the National Revival party, at the same time,
showed that in the NKR those who enjoyed the increase in incomes in the
last six months are mainly civil and public servants, while incomes of
a majority of private sector workers have not risen. "An overwhelming
majority of residents who receive salaries of up to 45,000 drams
(about $112) are involved in the private sector," the report says.
It adds, "To the question on whether they would participate in the
protest against the rise in the public transport fare if such a protest
was organized, 54 percent of respondents answered in the affirmative,
26 percent were against protests, while 20 percent found it difficult
to provide an answer."
SOCIETY | 24.09.14 | 10:58
http://armenianow.com/society/57062/armenia_karabakh_stepanakert_transport_fare
NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow
By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
A protest march against the upcoming rise in public transport fares
is expected to be held in the Nagorno-Karabakh capital of Stepanakert
on Wednesday. Many local residents believe that the rise from 70 to
100 drams ($0.17-$0.25) per ride planned from October 1 is ungrounded.
Observers say that civil society in Karabakh is not as active as
in Armenia yet and that there are few problems that people in the
country living in a de-facto state of war are willing to complain about
publicly. Today, however, public discontent seems to be particularly
strong with the decision of the municipal authorities. The protest
march is expected to start in front of the Stepanakert city hall and
proceed along the streets of the capital.
Citizens have even organized themselves into a pressure group called
"I'm Against the Rise In Public Transport Fares in Stepanakert",
calling on their countrymen to stand up for their rights and interests.
Stepanakert resident Knar Babayan says like many others she is also
against the planned rise in bus fares.
"I think it is only right to stage this protest. Let them [authorities]
know that not everyone can afford to pay 100 drams per ride."
"As an excuse the companies mention the rise in prices for diesel
fuel and other products. But let's not forget that only part of our
citizens saw their salaries increase recently, while others have
to continue to live off their same meager salaries in conditions
of growing inflation. Many of my friends and I myself were not
beneficiaries of the latest rise in salaries," the woman complains.
Babayan says that no public transport discounts are given to students,
disabled people, war veterans. Besides, interurban transport fares
have already been raised in the past few years because of the rise
in diesel fuel prices. Thus, while it would cost a commuter 600 drams
before to travel from Stepanakert to Martuni, now the bus fare is 800
drams. But, according to the woman, nothing has changed in terms of
the quality of the service.
Stepanakert city authorities announced the planned rise in the tariff
still in late August. According to the press service of the Stepanakert
Municipality, Mayor Suren Grigoryan said during a working meeting
then that they had received applications from the Stepanakert-Service
and Mher companies requesting a rise in the fare rate. The operators
explained that they have worked at the same rate for 7 years and that
they can no longer work at a profit in conditions of the current rate.
Invoking the increase in the prices of fuel and spare parts, one
of the companies requested setting the new rate at 112 drams, while
the other called for a 120-dram fare. Stepanakert's mayor, however,
after discussions, settled for a price of 100 drams (about 25 cents),
at the same time calling on transport service providing companies to
be sensible and scrupulously fulfill all their contractual obligations.
"The streets should always be in good conditions and people should
really feel on a daily basis the improving quality of service, that
is, why the change in the fare has happened," Grigoryan emphasized,
according to the municipality's website.
After the statement of the municipality, the local National Revival
party studied the situation, conducting meetings at transportation
companies, at the municipality and the Artsakh investment fund,
as well as a survey among 288 residents.
"The claims that the routes operated by Stepanakert-Service are
unprofitable raise doubts, especially given the fact that the daily
fares expected to be collected by drivers at both Stepanakert-Service
CJSC and Mher LTD are the same," the party wrote on its website after
completing the studies. It stressed that "the rise in public transport
fares in Stepanakert will cause additional social tensions in society."
The survey conducted by the National Revival party, at the same time,
showed that in the NKR those who enjoyed the increase in incomes in the
last six months are mainly civil and public servants, while incomes of
a majority of private sector workers have not risen. "An overwhelming
majority of residents who receive salaries of up to 45,000 drams
(about $112) are involved in the private sector," the report says.
It adds, "To the question on whether they would participate in the
protest against the rise in the public transport fare if such a protest
was organized, 54 percent of respondents answered in the affirmative,
26 percent were against protests, while 20 percent found it difficult
to provide an answer."