Epress.am News from Armenia
Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Yervand Zakharyan believes that Armenian citizens will "somehow" pay for the electricity that will becoming 10% more expensive starting tomorrow, August 1.
After the government meeting today, Zakharyan refused to talk to reporters, explaining that "there will be a [press] conference in 10–15 days; I’ll answer all your questions [then]."
While the minister was rushing toward his service vehicle, a member of the public, Armenuhi Melkonyan, who has been protesting the actions of her neighbors outside the government building every Thursday, asked him, "What are we going to do from tomorrow, when the electricity becomes more expensive?"
After hearing her question, Zakharyan laughed, but Melkonyan continued: "Well, what, is he going to pay for me… Are you going to pay for my electricity? I have no choice: I receive a pension of 27,000 [AMD, about $66 USD]. How am I going to make the payment with this pension? We have neither clothes nor shoes to sell. How am I going to pay [the bills]?"
"Somehow" was the minister's curt response.
Reporters asked the minister what he meant by this, but Zakharyan didn't reply, sat in his car and left.