Epress.am News from Armenia
Yerevan City Hall intends to raise the public transportation fee to 150 Armenian dram from Jan. 1, 2014, reports local daily Haykakan Zhamanak, referring to its sources.
The newspaper reports that the government, considering what happened this past summer, when as a result of protests it was forced to refrain from increasing the rate, has chosen to raise the price over the New Year's holidays, calculating that the public reaction will not be as fervent as last time, as well as the fact that it will be cold and the youth won't go out onto the street.
"And until this decision is made public, according to the same sources, it will announced that the transportation fare will become 200 dram, but in the end, the Republic of Armenia citizens will be given a 'favor,' and according to the government's calculations, everyone will be glad that at least they will pay 150 dram. And though the political decision is considered established, the authorities have serious concerns that its calculations might not work and the decision to increase [public] transportation fares can lead to a revolt," reports the paper.