{"id":283594,"date":"2018-02-09T17:58:08","date_gmt":"2018-02-09T13:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/epress.am?p=283594"},"modified":"2018-02-12T15:03:56","modified_gmt":"2018-02-12T11:03:56","slug":"yerevan-students-movement-puts-fighting-army-problems-on-hold-to-combat-toilet-paper-issue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/epress.am\/en\/2018\/02\/09\/yerevan-students-movement-puts-fighting-army-problems-on-hold-to-combat-toilet-paper-issue.html","title":{"rendered":"Yerevan Students Movement Puts Fighting Army Problems on Hold to Combat Toilet Paper Issue"},"content":{"rendered":"

Around two dozen students gathered on Friday outside the Yerevan State University library to take part in a \u201ctoilet paper collecting charity event.\u201d The aim of the action, according to its organizers, was to speak out against the university\u2019s numerous problems, and the lack of basic hygiene items there, in particular. The newly-formed initiative, called YSU Restart, had created a Facebook event beforehand, calling on users to support the action by donating toilet paper rolls to the university.<\/p>\n

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Davit Petrosyan, a founding member of the \u201cThere Will Be Deferments\u201d and \u201cFor the Development of Science\u201d initiatives, said in conversation with Epress.am that YSU Restart is part of their general students movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main group, which focuses on army issues, is still in place; nonetheless, we decided to devote one part of it to the problems in the university itself and form the YSU Restart initiative. It also includes students from the Polytechnic University, the Conservatory, and other universities, but the core comprises YSU students. We all know that there are a lot of problems; there\u2019s a lot to be unhappy about, starting from basic hygiene issues and ending with the quality of education,\u201d Petrosyan said.<\/p>\n

When asked whether the YSU Restart initiative was not drawing much needed attention away from the movement fighting for the restoration of the right to military service deferment, Petrosyan replied: \u201cFirst and foremost, we should all feel responsible for solving the basic problems in our university. Once we\u2019ve successfully done this, we\u2019ll be able to take on much more serious issues. The deferment movement took care of several important matters: it put the deferment issue at the top of the agenda, and opened a discussion on army issue, as well as the role of education and science in general.\u201d<\/p>\n