The youth's upcoming victory in "Electric Yerevan" protest is the first token of further victories in the struggle for civil rights, Garegin Chugaszyan, the chairman of the Founding Parliament, told ArmInfo.
The protests against a looming 17 per cent rise in electricity prices began last Friday, and thousands took to the streets in Yerevan on Tuesday morning. The demonstrators were charged by police and fired upon with water cannon after they blocked a main street in the capital. More than 200 protesters were reportedly arrested, while 14 demonstrators and 11 police were injured. Those detained on Tuesday have since been released. Hundreds of demonstrators returned today to continue the protest.
The actions of protest against the rise in electricity tariffs have been held in Yerevan for five days already. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan expressed willingness to receive the delegation of the protesters and discuss their problems, however, the activists refused that proposal. On June 23 morning, the police used special means to disperse the sit- down strike of the protesters. But on June 23 evening they gathered in Baghramayan Ave again. Opposition parliamentarians also went to Baghramyan Ave.
According to Chugaszyan, such spontaneous movements are no rare phenomenon in the world. He believes that social networks have played a significant role in the spontaneous rally in Yerevan. The chairman of the FP welcomes the spontaneity of this protest.
However, he says, this initiative has its problems. Sooner or later the unorganized actions of participants will stall and dwindle. It does matter for the Armenian youth to not just simply maintain its high potential, but also develop it.
He does hope that social demands will soon turn into demands that require more complicated decisions. Given that problems in Armenia are not caused by energy rates only the politician believes that the small victory should be consolidated and enhanced. The small victory is evidenced by that fact of blocking Baghramyan Ave.
Having drained the two main sources of income - transfers and loans - the Armenian ruling regime is bending every effort to find new ways for plundering to survive, he believes. Such price hikes are imminent. However, through such confrontations the Armenian nation can achieve significant changes.