Epress.am News from Armenia
“After our protest rally, directors of the intermediary [shipping] companies announced the price as 6 dollars, and the transport will move some cargo for 6 dollars,” Gevorg Saroyan, a Yerevan retailer protesting in front of the Armenian government building today, told Epress.am.
Note that for nearly a week, non-stop protests by Yerevan retailers and vendors complaining about the increase in fees for importing goods were taking place in front of the Armenian government building in Republic Square. Retailers informed the press, whereas before they had to pay $4 per 1 kg of imported goods, now they were expected to pay $8 for the same freight.
As previously reported, in order to import goods from Turkey, Syria and other countries, retailers were using the services of shipping companies such as Caucasus Tour, Narine and David Tour, which, in turns out, raised the amount for goods to clear customs.
According to Saroyan, today they’re planning a meeting with representatives of the municipality and customs services.
“Now I’ll get the government’s response, and with the response from the transport minister, I’m going to go see them. Let them go and provide explanations,” he said.
Saronyan also noted that those protesting understood that when changes happen in the country, it’s because of an order (likely from high-ranking officials).
“What’s it due to, it goes up 50 percent, it goes up 100 percent. This has become the dollar’s exchange rate: one day it goes up, one day it goes down. It can’t get more expensive by 50 or 100 percent without any basis,” concluded Saroyan.
Recall, while meeting with RA Minister of Transport and Communication Manuk Vardanyan, demonstrators asked the minister to show them in writing that there truly haven’t been any changes to the law.