Despite Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan's July 25 statement about suspension of the decision on public transport fare rise, the Let's Pay 100 AMD movement participants have organized an action of protest in front of the Municipality of Yerevan.
They demand that the decision on the public transport fare rise should be cancelled, not suspended. In addition, they demand resignation of Head of the Municipality's Transport Department Henrik Navasardyan and Head of Yerevantrans Misak Harutyunyan. On July 25 ArmInfo reported with reference to its own source in the Municipality that the decision on their resignation, as well as resignation of Artur Gevorgyan, Head of the Public Relations Department, was made along with the decision on return to the former transport fare. However, the Municipality is not going to announce the resignation of these officials at once.
The protesters also demand improving the quality of transport services and reducing the fare to 50 AMD within the next 7 days so as to compensate for the Yerevan residents' expenses over the past few days, because the fare was raised illegally.
ArmInfo's correspondent reports from the scene that a tense situation has arisen in front of the Municipality. Deputy Head of Police Valery Osipyan states that all the activists disturbing public peace will be taken to police stations. Activists, in turn, say that it is the police that provoke unrest. Osipyan urges the activists to hand over their message to Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan through the <window> of the Municipality, but the activists demand a personal meeting with either Margaryan or any other representative of the Municipality. At the moment the police groups have almost surrounded the activists.