ArmInfo.Given the current situation, it was agreed that there would be no blackouts for non-payment of utility bills. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan announced this on March 25 from the parliamentary rostrum.
According to him, this agreement was reached with the assistance of PSRC with the relevant companies, including Gazprom Armenia CJSC. As the prime minister explained, this agreement was not spoken openly in order to avoid possible speculation. Pashinyan recognizes that in light of the situation with coronavirus, social and economic issues are extremely relevant. Meanwhile, the Government's approach to their solution is that the assistance provided should be targeted, given that it will be carried out with public funds and appropriate reporting should be provided.
Regarding the possibility of canceling utility bills in connection with the current situation, the prime minister drew attention to a number of aspects. Firstly, in the current realities, civil servants continue to receive wages, while socially disadvantaged groups of the population- benefits. Despite this, an agreement was reached with the relevant companies that there would be no blackouts for non-payment of utility bills. "Even with this in mind, I urge citizens, if possible, not to delay payments, so as not to aggravate the situation," the prime minister emphasized.