Epress.am News from Armenia
Dozens of residents of Vardenik, Tsovinar and several other villages in Armenia's Gegharkunik province have been blocking traffic on Vardenis-Martuni highway since early Saturday morning in protest against the rough and nearly impassable roads in that part of the highway, ArmLur.am reports.
“It's been like this for several years now. This is a road of strategic importance, and it's in a rough condition. Ambulances refuse to come here, saying that they will remain stuck with the patient on the road. The same goes for store suppliers, and all local stores have gone out of business as a result,” a protester told the news outlet.
The demonstrators say they will not leave until the matter is resolved. They refused to unblock the road despite an appeal from Martuni police chief Karen Serobyan who expressed the willingness to talk privately with some of the protesters and “try to find a solution.”