Epress.am News from Armenia
Heads of transportation companies held a protest today outside Yerevan City Hall, demanding to accelerate the work of the commission dealing with transportation issues and increase the public transportation fare as soon as possible; otherwise, they promise to resort to "radical" actions.
Company managers said they will wait three days for a clear answer and then hold discussions, and if their needs are not met, they are prepared to stop serving public transportation routes. Note, in Armenia, public transportation routes are served by private companies.
Hayk Yeghiazaryan, chair of the union of transport carriers of Armenia, in conversation with Epress.am, said their patience has run out, and they can no longer meet transportation needs under the current rate (which is 100 AMD, about $0.25).
"Raising the fare is unavoidable, and if things continue as they are, tomorrow we will walk the walk. Whatever reserves we had are all exhausted; everyone is mired in debt and cannot buy tires or batteries, undergo inspection or repair, or pay property tax or compulsory car insurance. We've reached a dead end; there's nowhere to go anymore," he said, promising that after the fare is increased, business plans will be presented, loans will be drawn, and a new fleet will be acquired.
"Minibuses won't be overloaded; with a new fleet we will serve our people in a more civilized fashion. Minibuses will be replaced with large-capacity buses. Then you won't ride crowded but standing or sitting," said the chair of the union.
According to him, they didn't hold protests in the past because they are "working people," but they learned to hold protests from activists. "There's something to learn from everyone, and today we used this choice of struggle."
Tigran Hovhannisyan, chair of the bus drivers' defense league, in turn, told Epress.am that representatives of several NGOs earlier discussed the demands put forth by the transportation companies and said that they're convinced that such conduct is a mere formality.
"They're saying this is staged by the municipality: 'Come and protest in front of us,' they say. Halting public transportation service for even one hour is ruled out, and if that happens then the mayor must resign," said Hovhannisyan.