Epress.am News from Armenia
Drivers working in Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city, are continuing their protest, which began Saturday, outside the Shirak regional governor’s office.
Recall, on Feb. 5, a few dozen drivers were protesting the high customs duties for vehicles coming to Armenia from Georgia.
As told to Epress.am by protestor Vahan Khachatryan, drivers initially simply gathered and waited for a response, but have since decided to block the two roads leading to the regional governor’s office.
Observing the situation, Shirak governor (marzpet) Ashot Giziryan’s deputy Seyran Petrosyan approached the protestors.
“The deputy marzpet says nothing serious and attempts to convince people to open the road, but the drivers say since they haven’t yet given us a positive response, we’re not going to leave from here,” said Khachatryan.
He said that the drivers are insulted that instead of the marzpet approaching them, he’s asked five representatives to come to his office to talk. The drivers haven’t gone to his office and have decided to go to the village of Azatan and block the Gyumri-Yerevan route. In Azatan, they decided to wait two hours and if the issue isn’t resolved, the drivers will go toward the town of Bavra, to block the road from Armenia to Georgia.