Government will hold consultations at the Public Services Regulatory Committee over future electricity prices, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan said at the Baze annual youth gathering, on Monday.
He said the issues related to electricity rate, audit at the Electric Networks of Armenia and consultations with the public services watchdog were discussed with the president earlier on August 17. "I think we will complete this work in 2-3 months, discuss the government's approaches with the president, and inform the public of our decisions," he said.
The prime minister promised to be consistent so that the vulnerable families face no additional problems. The prime minister thinks it would be wrong to subsidize the big business before the audit at ENA. "As to the population's spending on the electricity, the government will assume these expenses. We will do it on the proceeds from the sale of the Vorotan series of HPPs," he said. "We realize that the public is discontented at the rising electricity rates. A question arises whether we want to have a 24-hour electricity supply or 2-3 hours? If there were embezzlements at the Russian company, the audit will reveal it and the embezzlers will be brought responsible," the prime minister said and promised to change the electricity rate if it turns out that it was increased groundlessly. The prime minister urged the people rallying in the streets to join the consultations at the Public Services Regulatory Committee.