Armenian News ...On Civil Protests... A Topalian
armenianow.com
Electric Yerevan: Police warn of possible use of force
28.06.15
The Armenian police have urged protesters campaigning against rising
electricity prices in Yerevan's Baghramyan Avenue to unblock the
central thoroughfare tonight, warning of possible use of force to
`restore public order'.
Colonel Valeri Osipian, deputy chief of Yerevan's police, described
the Saturday statement by President Serzh Sargsyan offering a
compromise plan on the electricity price hikes as `victory' both for
the demonstrators and the entire society, including the police, and
recommended that No To Plunder activists `return to the framework of
law'.
The protesters want the unpopular decision by the utilities commission
to raise electricity tariffs by over 16 percent beginning in August to
be scrapped. But at a meeting with senior government officials late on
Saturday Sargsyan suggested that the Armenian government will take
upon itself the subsidizing of the increase until it gets the
conclusion of an international audit of the Russian-owned Electric
Networks of Armenia company.
Activists of the No To Plunder pressure group who have been holding
protests in Yerevan since June 19 did not react immediately to the
announcement, calling for `nationwide mobilization' on Sunday to
determine their attitude towards the government plan and decide on
further actions.
Talking to media hours before the rally, Colonel Osipyan said: `Within
the framework of the law the police will use means to restore public
order in Baghramian Avenue. The offenders will be punished.'
The police already used force against demonstrators on June 23, but
the heavy-handed reaction then only angered people and they turned out
in even larger numbers to get barricaded in Baghramian Avenue later
that night.
The police have not used strong-arm methods since then, but have kept
reminding the protesters that while peaceful their rallies violate
Armenia's law on freedom of assembly.
Armenian people asked to Pay for Russian Mismanagement
Aljazeera interview with Civilnet's Maria Titizian. https://youtu.be/BKnn-uTSsNQ
Deutsche Welle, Germany
June 27 2015
Armenia President Serzh Sargsyan suspends energy price hikes
in face of demos
The president of Armenia has announced a delay in electricity price
rises in an effort to end days of street protests over the hikes.
Demonstrators are to decide what to do on Sunday evening.
President Serzh Sargsyan said that the government would temporarily
"bear the burden" of the higher rates pending an audit of the
Russian-owned power company on "how justified the tariff raise is and
what its consequences would be for the country's economy."
"Annulling the tariff raise is extremely dangerous," Sargsyan told a
cabinet meeting, warning that "if an audit confirms that the tariff
raise is justified, consumers will start paying according to a new
price."
Sargsyan said the money would come from the security budget.
Armenia's power distribution company is owned by the Russian
state-controlled holding Inter RAO. It had said the rise was needed
due to the devaluation of Armenia's currency, the dram.
Armenia is closely allied with Russia, which maintains a military base
in the former Soviet territory. In January, Armenia joined the
Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union.
On Friday night the president had held a meeting with Russian
Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov, who co-chairs a Russian-Armenian
economic commission. As a result of the talks with Sokolov, Russia
agreed to loan Armenia $200 million (179 million euros) to help
modernize its military, according to Sargsyan's office.
Protesters on Saturday dismissed the president's announcement as
inadequate and repeated their demands for the increase to be removed
altogether. One of the activists, Baginak Shushanyan told the crowd:
"Our demand remains unchanged: the decision to raise electricity
tariffs must be reversed."
For a ninth consecutive day on Saturday the demonstrators blocked
traffic on the capital Yerevan's main avenue. Some 10,000 people
rallied near the presidential palace chanting "we will win."
The announcement of 17-percent increases in electricity prices brought
thousands of protesters out on to the capital's streets last Monday.
Linked up by social media, they had intended to march on the
presidential residence.
When the protesters were blocked by police, they sat down on the road
and stayed there for the night. Riot police moved in early on Tuesday
morning and used water cannon to disperse the demonstrators, arresting
240 people.
But by the evening more demonstrators had turned out. Police from then
on stood by peacefully.
In the following days the protests took on a street party appearance
with mainly young demonstrators dancing and singing national songs.
One third of the population of 3 million people in Armenia live below
the poverty line.
The president of Armenia has announced a delay in electricity price
rises in an effort to end days of street protests over the hikes.
Demonstrators are to decide what to do on Sunday evening.
President Serzh Sargsyan said that the government would temporarily
"bear the burden" of the higher rates pending an audit of the
Russian-owned power company on "how justified the tariff raise is and
what its consequences would be for the country's economy."
"Annulling the tariff raise is extremely dangerous," Sargsyan told a
cabinet meeting, warning that "if an audit confirms that the tariff
raise is justified, consumers will start paying according to a new
price."
Sargsyan said the money would come from the security budget.
Armenia's power distribution company is owned by the Russian
state-controlled holding Inter RAO. It had said the rise was needed
due to the devaluation of Armenia's currency, the dram.
Armenia is closely allied with Russia, which maintains a military base
in the former Soviet territory. In January, Armenia joined the
Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union.
On Friday night the president had held a meeting with Russian
Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov, who co-chairs a Russian-Armenian
economic commission. As a result of the talks with Sokolov, Russia
agreed to loan Armenia $200 million (179 million euros) to help
modernize its military, according to Sargsyan's office.
Protesters on Saturday dismissed the president's announcement as
inadequate and repeated their demands for the increase to be removed
altogether. One of the activists, Baginak Shushanyan told the crowd:
"Our demand remains unchanged: the decision to raise electricity
tariffs must be reversed."
For a ninth consecutive day on Saturday the demonstrators blocked
traffic on the capital Yerevan's main avenue. Some 10,000 people
rallied near the presidential palace chanting "we will win."
The announcement of 17-percent increases in electricity prices brought
thousands of protesters out on to the capital's streets last Monday.
Linked up by social media, they had intended to march on the
presidential residence.
When the protesters were blocked by police, they sat down on the road
and stayed there for the night. Riot police moved in early on Tuesday
morning and used water cannon to disperse the demonstrators, arresting
240 people.
But by the evening more demonstrators had turned out. Police from then
on stood by peacefully.
In the following days the protests took on a street party appearance
with mainly young demonstrators dancing and singing national songs.
One third of the population of 3 million people in Armenia live below
the poverty line.
The Times (London)
June 26, 2015 Friday
Russia says West behind revolution in Armenia
by Nick Holdsworth
Russian nationalists claimed yesterday that western governments were
working behind the scenes to foment revolution in the pro-Moscow state
of Armenia.
The charges follow heavy-handed police measures trying to halt seven
days of popular protest about rising electricity prices.
Demonstrators in the capital Yerevan initially protested against a 16
per cent increase in the cost of electricity, supplied by a national
monopoly owned by a Russian state company.
The protests spread amid anger at the country's wider economic
problems. The number of demonstrators swelled after the perceived
brutality of the police. Some protesters have been seen waving
European Union flags and chanting pro-western slogans.
Russian politicians claimed that outside interests were stirring up
trouble - a popular conspiracy theory in Moscow. One influential
pundit warned that bloodshed was imminent.
Leonid Slutsky, chairman of Russia's parliamentary committee for
Eurasian integration, said "foreign instructors" were helping the
protest organisers.
"Opposition leaders have called people to the street and unfortunately
it is clear this can be traced to foreign instructors," said Mr
Slutsky, a member of the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of
Russia.
Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin analyst, suggested that "the attack on
Yerevan was expected". He said: "There are probably a lot of fighters
from Ukraine [there] and it is being directed from an external
headquarters. The main aim of the organisers now is bloodshed."
However, those on the streets disagreed, claiming that their protests
were simply about the economic crisis. "No one is controlling us from
either West or East," said Yeghia Nersesian, 36, a photographer and
protest organiser. "We will look after ourselves." There is no sign
that the protesters, many of whom go to work during the day but return
at night to their barricades, are going to back down. They have defied
a police response earlier this week including the use of water canon;
10,000 have joined the protests.
The Kremlin, which maintains a force of about 5,000 troops at two
military bases in Armenia, has downplayed the protests. Moscow fears
that Armenia is heading towards a Ukrainestyle breakdown.
arka.am
TOTAL RUSSIAN INVESTMENTS IN ARMENIA STAND AT
$3 BILLION
YEREVAN, June 26. Total Russian investments in the Armenian
economy stand now at about $3 billion, Russian transport minister
Maxim Sokolov said today at the opening ceremony of new premises of
Russia's Trade Representation in Armenia.
"This year Armenia has joined the Eurasian Economic Union which means
that the opportunities of Russian businesses in Armenia and Armenian
businesses in Russia have expanded significantly,' said Sokolov.
He said moving the Trade Representation in a new office is important
not only for Russian businesses, but also for boosting bilateral
relations, "because everyone in Russia and Armenia feels the high level
of trade, economic and political relations between our countries.' -0-
EurasiaNet.org
As Protests Continue In Yerevan, Russia Concedes To Armenia
YEREVAN, June 26. Total Russian investments in the Armenian
economy stand now at about $3 billion, Russian transport minister
Maxim Sokolov said today at the opening ceremony of new premises of
Russia's Trade Representation in Armenia.
"This year Armenia has joined the Eurasian Economic Union which means
that the opportunities of Russian businesses in Armenia and Armenian
businesses in Russia have expanded significantly,' said Sokolov.
He said moving the Trade Representation in a new office is important
not only for Russian businesses, but also for boosting bilateral
relations, "because everyone in Russia and Armenia feels the high level
of trade, economic and political relations between our countries.' -0-
EurasiaNet.org
As Protests Continue In Yerevan, Russia Concedes To Armenia
On Soldier
Murder Case
June 27, 2015
Murder Case
June 27, 2015
by Joshua Kucera
Russia has agreed to let Armenian courts try a Russian soldier accused
of murdering seven members of an Armenian family after deserting
Russia's major military base in the country. The move is a major
concession by Moscow, and comes as large-scale street protests in
Yerevan against Armenia's Russian-owned electricity company have been
gathering strength.
The soldier, Valery Permyakov, walked off Russia's 102nd military base
in Gyumri on January 12, walked into the nearby home of the Avetsiyan
family and opened fire; six died immediately and a seventh, a
six-month-old baby, died later in the hospital. The case outraged
Armenians and led to unprecedented protests against the base.
>From the beginning, Armenia and Russia have disagreed about who should
be able to try Permyakov: Armenia wanted him tried in Armenian courts,
while Russia wanted him to be tried by a Russian military court,
albeit on Armenian soil.
On June 26, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met with a Russian
government delegation to discuss energy fees, the issue that sparked
the Yerevan protests. But the scope of the discussions was apparently
wider than that, and Sargsyan's office issued a surprise announcement
after the meeting:
"At the meeting ... Sargsyan took the opportunity to express
appreciation to the Russian law enforcement organs, in particular to
the prosecutor's office for effective cooperation with the Armenian
prosecutor's office on the investigation the inhuman crime in Gyumri
in January," Sargsyan's office said in a statement, news agencies
reported. "The decision about the transfer of the criminal case to the
Investigative Committee of Armenia and the appropriate authorities in
Armenia, reflects the spirit of partnership and brotherhood and fully
corresponds with the position of the Armenian-Russian agreement on the
status of the Russian military base in Armenia."
On top of that, Russia also apparently agreed to give Armenia $200
million in credit for arms purchases.
Various Russian officials have been darkly warning that the protests
in Armenia represent an anti-Russian, U.S.-backed "maidan," a la
Ukraine, and advising Sargsyan to take a harsher stance against the
protesters. But this move shows that Moscow also realizes it needs to
try to assuage Armenian public opinion, which has been wounded not
just by the electricity issue and the Permyakov case, but arms sales
to its enemy, Azerbaijan. Will this concession be enough to tamp down
the anti-Russian sentiment on the streets of Yerevan? Stay tuned.
Newsweek
June 27 2015
Why Have Armenia's Youth Spent a Week Protesting?
By Aleksandr Gorbachev and Lucy Westcott
Russia has agreed to let Armenian courts try a Russian soldier accused
of murdering seven members of an Armenian family after deserting
Russia's major military base in the country. The move is a major
concession by Moscow, and comes as large-scale street protests in
Yerevan against Armenia's Russian-owned electricity company have been
gathering strength.
The soldier, Valery Permyakov, walked off Russia's 102nd military base
in Gyumri on January 12, walked into the nearby home of the Avetsiyan
family and opened fire; six died immediately and a seventh, a
six-month-old baby, died later in the hospital. The case outraged
Armenians and led to unprecedented protests against the base.
>From the beginning, Armenia and Russia have disagreed about who should
be able to try Permyakov: Armenia wanted him tried in Armenian courts,
while Russia wanted him to be tried by a Russian military court,
albeit on Armenian soil.
On June 26, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met with a Russian
government delegation to discuss energy fees, the issue that sparked
the Yerevan protests. But the scope of the discussions was apparently
wider than that, and Sargsyan's office issued a surprise announcement
after the meeting:
"At the meeting ... Sargsyan took the opportunity to express
appreciation to the Russian law enforcement organs, in particular to
the prosecutor's office for effective cooperation with the Armenian
prosecutor's office on the investigation the inhuman crime in Gyumri
in January," Sargsyan's office said in a statement, news agencies
reported. "The decision about the transfer of the criminal case to the
Investigative Committee of Armenia and the appropriate authorities in
Armenia, reflects the spirit of partnership and brotherhood and fully
corresponds with the position of the Armenian-Russian agreement on the
status of the Russian military base in Armenia."
On top of that, Russia also apparently agreed to give Armenia $200
million in credit for arms purchases.
Various Russian officials have been darkly warning that the protests
in Armenia represent an anti-Russian, U.S.-backed "maidan," a la
Ukraine, and advising Sargsyan to take a harsher stance against the
protesters. But this move shows that Moscow also realizes it needs to
try to assuage Armenian public opinion, which has been wounded not
just by the electricity issue and the Permyakov case, but arms sales
to its enemy, Azerbaijan. Will this concession be enough to tamp down
the anti-Russian sentiment on the streets of Yerevan? Stay tuned.
Newsweek
June 27 2015
Why Have Armenia's Youth Spent a Week Protesting?
By Aleksandr Gorbachev and Lucy Westcott
6/27/15
What's happening in Armenia?
Protests over planned hikes in electricity tariffs entered their
seventh day on Thursday night in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.
Police response to the protests, which began last Friday, has been
violent: police batons and water cannons were used against peaceful
protestors and more than 230 demonstrators and journalists were
detained on Tuesday as marchers made their way to the president's
residence in the capital, The Washington Post reports. According to
officials, most of those detained have been released.
Controlled by a subsidiary of Russian company Inter RAO UES, Armenia's
power grid, the Armenian Electricity Network, said last month it would
raise electricity prices by up to 22 percent due to the devaluation of
national currency. Protesters say the new energy prices, which are
expected to come into effect on August 1, will be unaffordable. They
also blame the increase on mismanagement and corruption within the
Network, PRI reports.
`Spread the word, fill the streets and don't pay your electric bill,'
shouted one organizer this week in Yerevan's Republic Square, recently
the site of commemorations for the 100-year anniversary of the
Armenian genocide. `If we all don't pay our electric bills, they can't
do anything about it,' he added. Protesters have also been chanting:
`We are the owners of our country.'
The protesters are mainly young people who organized through social
media, with the hashtag #ElectricYerevan being used to share photos
and information on Twitter. They waved both Armenian and European
Union flags, The Wall Street Journal reports. The slogan `No to
Plunder' has also been adopted by demonstrators, according to The
Telegraph.
Armenia, which has seen its all-important Russian remittances drop by
half this year'Russian remittances contributed to 21 percent of
Armenia's national income in 2013 and 11 percent in 2014, according to
the World Bank'and is largely dependent on the Russian economy, has
suffered the knock-on effects of Russia's economic strain. Russia's
recession over the past year was partly spurred by European Union
sanctions related to its role in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Last
December, the Russian parliament voted to allow Armenia to join the
Eurasian Economic Union, an economic bloc that includes Russia,
Belarus and Kazakhstan.
The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan in a statement released on Tuesday said it
was `concerned about reports of excessive police use of force to
disperse the crowd on the morning of June 23, as well as several
reports of abuse while in police custody.' The European Union and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) also
expressed concern over police violence.
`Freedom of speech and assembly are fundamental rights in any
democracy, and we were pleased to see both sides work in a manner that
respected these rights and did not escalate tensions,' the U.S.
Embassy added.
Why are the hikes so important?
The 40% price rise initially requested by the Armenian energy
monopoly, the Electric Works of Armenia, would make Armenia's
electricity the most expensive among all the post-Soviet states. Even
a 16% hike eventually approved by the government is a significant
burden for a big part of the country's population. Moreover, this is
the third hike in recent years.
Some Armenian bloggers and activists also brought corruption
allegations against the Electric Works of Armenia and its CEO Evgeny
Bibyn, who failed to show up to a special meeting of the Armenian
Parliament that was organized to discuss the hikes. Even though there
are various real reasons for raising the prices, many believe that the
executives of the Electric Works of Armenia spend money on expensive
cars and luxury real estate. These allegations contributed to the
protesters' outrage.
How is the Armenian government reacting?
Reluctantly. On Tuesday, the Armenian President Serge Sargsyan
announced that he is willing to meet with three or four
representatives of the protesters. However, his offer was declined.
Instead, the protesters demanded that Sargsyan should just cancel the
decision to raise the electricity rates live on television.
Thursday, the country's prime minister, Ovik Abramyan, stated firmly
that the decision won't be reversed. He noted that, according to his
calculations, the impact of the hikes on an average Armenian family
won't be that harsh, and also announced the government's decision to
raise subsidies for poor families to help them pay their electricity
bills.
Is Russia involved?
To a certain extent. The company that asked the Armenian government to
raise the electricity prices, the Electric Works of Armenia, is fully
owned by a Russian company Inter RAO. Inter RAO's CEO is Igor Sechin,
a former deputy prime minister in Vladimir Putin's government and,
allegedly, one of the closest friends and allies of the current
Russian president. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the company said to
an Armenian reporter that the events in Yerevan `now have become
politicized, and Inter RAO is into business, not politics.'
Russian officials and state media seem to be concerned about the
events in Yerevan. The possibility of the protests in Armenia becoming
another `color revolution' (a reference to revolutions in Ukraine and
Georgia) is frequently mentioned in reports by the Russian state
media. Konstantin Kosachev, a head of the international committee of
the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament,
said on Thursday that `every color revolution began with something
like that.'
`I wouldn't rule out a possibility that some foreign NGOs are behind
this,' he added.
Another member of the same committee, Igor Morozov, was even blunter.
`Armenia is close to a coup d'etat, and it's going to happen if the
Armenian President Serge Sargsyan doesn't draw any lessons from the
Ukrainian Maidan,' he said. `The American embassy is actively involved
in the events in Yerevan.'
Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, has been less candid. On
Tuesday, he said that Russia is `closely monitoring' the events in
Armenia and hopes that the situation will be resolved soon.
Is it really similar to Maidan?
So far, only in a way that all the street protests are similar. No
political demands have been made so far except for the rates reduction
and, despite all the support from Ukrainian bloggers and being labeled
`Electric Maidan' by some media outlets, some of the Armenian
activists have openly stated that to compare what's happening in
Armenia to Maidan is wrong. `It is against price hike, not ANY foreign
state,' one of the Armenian bloggers wrote on Twitter.
How can it be resolved?
Attempts to hold talks between Sargsyan and protesters fell through on
Wednesday for a second time, The Guardian reports. Armenian news site
Panorama reported that an unnamed Russian-Armenian oligarch has been
urged to purchase Electric Networks of Armenia in order to possibly
push back prices. On Friday, talks on the energy sector were held
between Russia and Armenia, and Armenian media is also reporting that
Sargsyan and Russia are in talks to conduct audits on Armenia's
electricity network. Besides the talks, no substantial plans have been
agreed upon to resolve the situation.
What's happening in Armenia?
Protests over planned hikes in electricity tariffs entered their
seventh day on Thursday night in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.
Police response to the protests, which began last Friday, has been
violent: police batons and water cannons were used against peaceful
protestors and more than 230 demonstrators and journalists were
detained on Tuesday as marchers made their way to the president's
residence in the capital, The Washington Post reports. According to
officials, most of those detained have been released.
Controlled by a subsidiary of Russian company Inter RAO UES, Armenia's
power grid, the Armenian Electricity Network, said last month it would
raise electricity prices by up to 22 percent due to the devaluation of
national currency. Protesters say the new energy prices, which are
expected to come into effect on August 1, will be unaffordable. They
also blame the increase on mismanagement and corruption within the
Network, PRI reports.
`Spread the word, fill the streets and don't pay your electric bill,'
shouted one organizer this week in Yerevan's Republic Square, recently
the site of commemorations for the 100-year anniversary of the
Armenian genocide. `If we all don't pay our electric bills, they can't
do anything about it,' he added. Protesters have also been chanting:
`We are the owners of our country.'
The protesters are mainly young people who organized through social
media, with the hashtag #ElectricYerevan being used to share photos
and information on Twitter. They waved both Armenian and European
Union flags, The Wall Street Journal reports. The slogan `No to
Plunder' has also been adopted by demonstrators, according to The
Telegraph.
Armenia, which has seen its all-important Russian remittances drop by
half this year'Russian remittances contributed to 21 percent of
Armenia's national income in 2013 and 11 percent in 2014, according to
the World Bank'and is largely dependent on the Russian economy, has
suffered the knock-on effects of Russia's economic strain. Russia's
recession over the past year was partly spurred by European Union
sanctions related to its role in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Last
December, the Russian parliament voted to allow Armenia to join the
Eurasian Economic Union, an economic bloc that includes Russia,
Belarus and Kazakhstan.
The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan in a statement released on Tuesday said it
was `concerned about reports of excessive police use of force to
disperse the crowd on the morning of June 23, as well as several
reports of abuse while in police custody.' The European Union and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) also
expressed concern over police violence.
`Freedom of speech and assembly are fundamental rights in any
democracy, and we were pleased to see both sides work in a manner that
respected these rights and did not escalate tensions,' the U.S.
Embassy added.
Why are the hikes so important?
The 40% price rise initially requested by the Armenian energy
monopoly, the Electric Works of Armenia, would make Armenia's
electricity the most expensive among all the post-Soviet states. Even
a 16% hike eventually approved by the government is a significant
burden for a big part of the country's population. Moreover, this is
the third hike in recent years.
Some Armenian bloggers and activists also brought corruption
allegations against the Electric Works of Armenia and its CEO Evgeny
Bibyn, who failed to show up to a special meeting of the Armenian
Parliament that was organized to discuss the hikes. Even though there
are various real reasons for raising the prices, many believe that the
executives of the Electric Works of Armenia spend money on expensive
cars and luxury real estate. These allegations contributed to the
protesters' outrage.
How is the Armenian government reacting?
Reluctantly. On Tuesday, the Armenian President Serge Sargsyan
announced that he is willing to meet with three or four
representatives of the protesters. However, his offer was declined.
Instead, the protesters demanded that Sargsyan should just cancel the
decision to raise the electricity rates live on television.
Thursday, the country's prime minister, Ovik Abramyan, stated firmly
that the decision won't be reversed. He noted that, according to his
calculations, the impact of the hikes on an average Armenian family
won't be that harsh, and also announced the government's decision to
raise subsidies for poor families to help them pay their electricity
bills.
Is Russia involved?
To a certain extent. The company that asked the Armenian government to
raise the electricity prices, the Electric Works of Armenia, is fully
owned by a Russian company Inter RAO. Inter RAO's CEO is Igor Sechin,
a former deputy prime minister in Vladimir Putin's government and,
allegedly, one of the closest friends and allies of the current
Russian president. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the company said to
an Armenian reporter that the events in Yerevan `now have become
politicized, and Inter RAO is into business, not politics.'
Russian officials and state media seem to be concerned about the
events in Yerevan. The possibility of the protests in Armenia becoming
another `color revolution' (a reference to revolutions in Ukraine and
Georgia) is frequently mentioned in reports by the Russian state
media. Konstantin Kosachev, a head of the international committee of
the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament,
said on Thursday that `every color revolution began with something
like that.'
`I wouldn't rule out a possibility that some foreign NGOs are behind
this,' he added.
Another member of the same committee, Igor Morozov, was even blunter.
`Armenia is close to a coup d'etat, and it's going to happen if the
Armenian President Serge Sargsyan doesn't draw any lessons from the
Ukrainian Maidan,' he said. `The American embassy is actively involved
in the events in Yerevan.'
Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, has been less candid. On
Tuesday, he said that Russia is `closely monitoring' the events in
Armenia and hopes that the situation will be resolved soon.
Is it really similar to Maidan?
So far, only in a way that all the street protests are similar. No
political demands have been made so far except for the rates reduction
and, despite all the support from Ukrainian bloggers and being labeled
`Electric Maidan' by some media outlets, some of the Armenian
activists have openly stated that to compare what's happening in
Armenia to Maidan is wrong. `It is against price hike, not ANY foreign
state,' one of the Armenian bloggers wrote on Twitter.
How can it be resolved?
Attempts to hold talks between Sargsyan and protesters fell through on
Wednesday for a second time, The Guardian reports. Armenian news site
Panorama reported that an unnamed Russian-Armenian oligarch has been
urged to purchase Electric Networks of Armenia in order to possibly
push back prices. On Friday, talks on the energy sector were held
between Russia and Armenia, and Armenian media is also reporting that
Sargsyan and Russia are in talks to conduct audits on Armenia's
electricity network. Besides the talks, no substantial plans have been
agreed upon to resolve the situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment