Electricity Price Hike Sparks Sit-In Protest in Yerevan

Demonstrators Vow to Remain in Liberty Square until June 22

YEREVAN (A.W.)—Thousands of people gathered in Yerevan’s Liberty Square Friday evening, June 19, to protest the government’s adoption of a 17 percent rise in electricity rates. What was initially slated as a march in the city center against the price hike turned into an unexpected mass sit-in.

Protesters vowed to stay put until June 22
Protesters vowed to stay put until June 22 (Photo: Serouj Aprahamian)

Maxim Sargsyan, a member of the “No to Plunder” civic initiative that organized the protest, stood before the crowd and put forth the following proposition: “We can either go out to march and then disperse back to our homes as usual or we can stay here until Monday, stage a sit-in, and demand a suspension of the illegal price hike.” The demonstrators opted for the latter.

Maxim Sargsyan, a member of the 'No to Plunder' civic initiative, at the podium (Photo: Serouj Aprahamian)
Maxim Sargsyan, a member of the ‘No to Plunder’ civic initiative, at the podium (Photo: Serouj Aprahamian)

The mostly young protesters could be seen huddled in various groups throughout the square, sitting on carpets, pieces of cardboard, tires, or simply the ground. They held banners that read,“High Voltage” and “No to Plunderers,” as they chanted, “We are the owners of our country.”

Music blared from the podium, playing everything from patriotic songs and traditional Armenian rhythms, to System of a Down and a hip-hop song made specifically for the campaign. Several large circles of traditional Armenian dancing also spontaneously broke out.

Demonstrators vowed to stay in the square until June 22 and declared that they will march to the presidential palace if the price hike is not reversed by then.

The mass sit-in comes on the heels of the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) of Armenia voting unanimously on June 17 to raise electricity prices from 42 AMD/kWh to 49 AMD/kWh. This is the third consecutive price hike by the government in the last three years and the fourth since 2009, making Armenia the country with the highest electricity rates in the region.

Thousands of people gathered in Yerevan’s Liberty Square on June 19 (Photo: Serouj Aprahamian)
Thousands of people gathered in Yerevan’s Liberty Square on June 19 (Photo: Serouj Aprahamian)

Both protesters and members of the government agree that the price increases are due to the mismanagement and indebtedness of RAO Unified Energy Systems (UES), a Russian-owned company that operates Armenia’s power distribution network. The government insists that rates have to be raised in order to ensure that UES gets out of debt and is operational, leaving average citizens and small businesses—that are already overburdened with socio-economic hardship—to foot the bill.

Widespread anger ignited as soon as the proposed price increase was made public early last month. The “No to Plunder” initiative organized a mass rally in Yerevan on May 27, while the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) led a tense demonstration in front of the PSRC building on the day of the vote. They called for the resignation of the head of the regulatory body and demanded to enter the meeting before the vote. One AYF representative was eventually allowed in, but news of the unanimously approved price hike was met with demonstrators throwing eggs and tomatoes toward the building. Several protesters were detained in minor skirmishes with the police.

This current episode is the latest in a string of civic struggles that have arisen over recent years in response to regressive government policies. These struggles have achieved several victories, including the preservation of a waterfall, prevention of illegal construction in a public park, reversing a transportation fee hike, and partially overturning the privatization of the country’s pension system.

A scene from the protest (Photo: Serouj Aprahamian)
A scene from the protest (Photo: Serouj Aprahamian)

Members of the “No to Plunder” initiative have repeatedly made reference to these victories, noting that the only way to bring about social change in the country has been direct grassroots action and civic protest—while traditional politics have failed.

“This is the struggle of all Armenian citizens, independent of their political or partisan views,” said “No to Plunder” member Aram Manukyan from the podium. “Taking into account the experiences and successes of past movements, we have concluded that the struggle must be waged on the streets in an organized and united fashion, strictly excluding any dialogue with the authorities.”

As the sit-in went into the night, demonstrators gathered into open assemblies where they discussed issues such as orderliness, keeping the square clean, meeting basic needs, and forming groups of security for the protest. Participants also urged one another to remain peaceful and not engage in any confrontations with the police.

The organizers maintain that they will continue their struggle and use all manner of lawful civil disobedience until the price hike is fully repealed.

Serouj Aprahamian

Serouj Aprahamian

Serouj Aprahamian has always been actively involved in the Armenian community. From 2007-2009, he served as the Capital Gateway Program Director for the Armenian National Committee of America in DC, while obtaining a Master's in International Relations from American University. He also served for three years as the Executive Director of the AYF Western Region and has contributed regularly to the Armenian Weekly, Haytoug, and Asbarez. He is currently a correspondent of the Armenian Weekly in Yerevan.

19 Comments

  1. Based on the statements in this weekly ad, the PSRC is controlled by the RAO, a Russian company controlling the Armenian Power distribution network, who is controlled by Putin’s lackeys to gain funds from a former soviet state. Russia’s economy is in shambles and is squeezing Armenia to pay more. Armenia should control it’s own power grid.

  2. I am proud of You, Armenian Youth, True Armenians. Keep up velvet pressure until False Armenians develop stroke.

  3. As if things weren’t already bad enough, the underprivileged citizens of Armenia are now being subjected to a 17 percent rise in electricity rates by Serzh Sargsyan’s regime, which also happens to be the third consecutive price hike in the last three years. This is indeed harsh! These continuous unjust price hikes are making the citizens of Armenia poorer, which therefore causes even higher emigration out of Armenia.

    I’m certainly glad to see that thousands of Yerevan’s residents congregated in Yerevan’s Liberty Square to protest this injustice that’s being subjected upon them. These kinds of mass protests against Sargsyan’s foul regime are needed every week.

    “Demonstrators vowed to stay in the square until June 22 and declared that they will march to the presidential palace if the price hike is not reversed by then.” Isn’t that palace a little too much for Serzh Sargsyan? What would be more suitable for him, would be one of those tiny, miserable shacks outside Yerevan where so many of Armenia’s citizens happen to live as a result of receiving no kind of assistance from their government. Let Serzh Sargsyan go live in one of those shacks, and let four or five families who live in poverty come and live in his palace.

    • {“…which therefore causes even higher emigration out of Armenia.”}

      No it doesn’t.

      {“These kinds of mass protests against Sargsyan’s foul regime are needed every week.”}

      How about you leading by example: start a tradition of protesting outside President of Armenia’s official residence every day until the lights go out.

      {“Isn’t that palace a little too much for Serzh Sargsyan? What would be more suitable for him, would be one of those tiny, miserable shacks outside Yerevan where so many of Armenia’s citizens happen to live as a result of receiving no kind of assistance from their government. Let Serzh Sargsyan go live in one of those shacks, and let four or five families who live in poverty come and live in his palace.”}

      Another hate-filled, vacuous diatribe: why don’t you buy or build 100s or 1000s of apartments in Yerevan and distribute them to those in need.

    • @ Avery
      “Another hate-filled, vacuous diatribe: why don’t you buy or build 100s or 1000s of apartments in Yerevan and distribute them to those in need”.

      As if those low income housings are coming out of the Sarkisians personal pocket? Better yet, why not ask Yerevanian to become Armenia’s next president and become MASSIVELY RICH as a result. That would at least make sense.

    • Joe:

      {Better yet, why not ask Yerevanian to become Armenia’s next president and become MASSIVELY RICH as a result. That would at least make sense.”}

      Yerevanian, you, me, and anybody else who has at least one Armenian parent can legally become a citizen of RoA.
      After a 10 year residency, that person can run for the office of President of RoA.
      Anyone wants to run for President of RoA, the field is wide open.
      Please, save Armenia from all those evil, unelected “regimes”: run for office and “Win One for the Gipper”

      And do you have _any_ evidence that Mr. Sargsyan has become, quote, “MASSIVELY RICH”, after being elected President of RoA ?
      Or you firmly believe your own allegations ?
      To wit: MP Zaruhi Postanjyan publicly accused Pres Sargsyan, in a public forum in Europe, of allegedly gambling away $60 million dollars. Yet in this day ang age where everyone has a recording device on their person 24×7, not one photo, not one video of the alleged gambling or the Pres going into a casino.
      Any witnesses that will testify under oath they saw Pres gambling ?
      Any circumstantial evidence ?
      Or merely accusing someone is enough.
      I can claim all sorts of things.
      Can I prove it ?

    • Avery,

      As persistent as you are in denying and pretending that mass emigration out of Armenia is not taking place, the truth is that over a million people have emigrated out of Armenia since its independence in 1991. There is a mass exodus of Armenians from the homeland which is taking place on a yearly basis, and as a result, Armenia’s population continues to shrink year after year.

      “How about you leading by example: start a tradition of protesting outside President of Armenia’s official residence every day until the lights go out.” I actually like that idea.

      “Why don’t you buy or build 100s or thousands of apartments in Yerevan and distribute them to those in need.” Trust me, I would if I had as much money as Serzh Sargsyan. However, I’m nowhere close to being financially rich. As a matter of fact, at the current moment, I’m living just slightly above the poverty line over here in East Hollywood (Little Armenia).

      “Anyone wants to run for President of RoA, the field is wide open.” Yes, that’s true! However, the problem is that if you’re not a member of Sargsyan’s Republican party, you will therefore have no chance whatsoever of winning the presidency.

    • Not in defense of Sargsyan, but making accusations against him in an international public forum by a member of his country’s delegation, even if accusations were true, was unacceptable. In a manner of speaking, it’s like washing one’s dirty linen in public. Deplorable, non-statesmanlike behavior on the part of Postandjian.

    • “{“…which therefore causes even higher emigration out of Armenia.”}

      No it doesn’t.”

      I’d like to hear your thoughts on the migration that is currently happening out of Armenia. Can you at least acknowledge that it’s happening? Why isn’t Armenia’s population growing?

  4. Its time for Armenia, or its youth to think solar, and biomass as viable, self-sustaining alternatives. Let some enterprising individuals crowd-fund, or otherwise lease solar panels for use in Armenia. Make a public offering to the people for the lease costs, and with payback at a rate less, than now paid. Use the organic wastes of the nation to extract energy, and save water in the process.

    • Necessity is the mother of invention. Armenia’s tough situation being a landlocked country is an opportunity to let loose the creativity of the younger generation to come of with ideas and solutions for Armenian. Armenia needs to diversify its energy sources. Solar is one way. Armenia gets more sun then Germany.

  5. The RoA government knew this would be highly unpopular and unwarranted move on their part. To introduce a price hike on a vital commodity to already discontented population is like consciously to induce revolutionary sentiments among the people, knowing that our enemies salivate even at a slightest social or political earthquake in Armenia. Another wrong move by the president and his government.

  6. (Yerevanian // June 23, 2015 at 8:19 am //)

    {“ at the current moment, I’m living just slightly above the poverty line over here in East Hollywood (Little Armenia).”}

    I find that hard to believe.
    You have claimed you travel to Armenia regularly. (Yes ?)
    Life is not expensive in RoA compared to East Hollywood, but airline tickets to RoA from US are not cheap.
    How does one living slightly above poverty line manage to travel to RoA regularly ?

    {“ As persistent as you are in denying and pretending that mass emigration out of Armenia is not taking place, the truth is that over a million people have emigrated out of Armenia since its independence in 1991. There is a mass exodus of Armenians from the homeland which is taking place on a yearly basis, and as a result, Armenia’s population continues to shrink year after year.”}

    I am persistent when I know I am right.
    And I don’t pretend.
    I know quite well about the demographics of RoA and NKR.
    Again: don’t give me hyperbole like “massive” this, “massive” that.
    I already compelled you to admit that your alleged “massive” protests were nothing of the sort.
    Give me numbers, year by year, from sources I can verify.
    Approximate is quite alright.
    And since Independence and past few years are quite different subjects.

  7. (Random Armenian // June 23, 2015 at 1:05 pm //)

    My response of “No it doesn’t” was to [Yerevanian] statement of: “These continuous unjust price hikes are making the citizens of Armenia poorer, which therefore causes even higher emigration out of Armenia.”
    It is a bogus statement, because no proof was offered of cause-and-effect: Correlation does not imply causation.

    {“ I’d like to hear your thoughts on the migration that is currently happening out of Armenia”}

    What would you like to know ?

    {“ Can you at least acknowledge that it’s happening?”}

    Yes there is migration.
    But there are two kinds: one is seasonal and the other is permanent.
    No, it has very little to do with what RoA authorities are doing or not doing.
    How do I know that ? Easy: I compare with other similar countries.
    It is just the nature of the beast. It’s not Armenia.

    {“ Why isn’t Armenia’s population growing?”}

    That is a very good question.
    But the answer is not so good.
    Main reason is that Armenia’s women are not having enough children.
    Nothing to do with the economic situation: how do I know this ?
    Again by comparison.
    Azerbaijanis who were not-so-politely asked to leave Armenian lands during 1991-1994 they were illegally residing on, mostly ended up living in shipping containers.
    Let me repeat: 1000s and 1000s were living in shipping containers.
    No heat, no toilets, no running water.
    But their women managed to have 3-4 children.
    While living in shipping containers.
    In Turkey, Kurds living in our occupied Western Armenia have the highest fertility rate: the women there have average 3.4 children.
    As you go farther West in Turkey and approach Europe the average drops to 1.5 (below replacement level, which is 2.1)
    Can you guess why ?
    The Palestinian population of West Bank and Gaza is 4.5 million.
    Birth rate is 32 for 1000 people in 2015.
    Average is about 4 children per woman.
    (Armenian is 14 per 1000 (2014) and fertility is 1.64 (2014))
    So can anyone out there claim that socioeconomic and political conditions in Palestinian territories are so much better than in RoA, so that is why Palestinian women are having average 4 children ?
    Armenia is Switzerland compared to the dystopia that Palestinians live in.

    Why isn’t Armenia’s population growing? Because Armenia’s women are not having enough children.
    Why aren’t Armenia’s women having enough children ? We have to ask Armenia’s women why is it that they are not having 3 or 4 children average.

    • Avery,

      Your analysis is overly simplistic. Poverty in Armenia is high compared with other European countries where the poverty is lower and standard of living is higher. A higher standard of living means lower birth rates for sure, but there is more to it than that.

      And what percentage of the emigration is seasonal and which is permanent. The seasonal emigration is not good for families, so there is that impact on Armenian society as well.

      You can’t figure out what’s going on in Armenia simply by comparing the birth rate of Armenia with other countries with different economies and geopolitical situations.

      I know of quite a few smart people from Hayastan who have moved permanently. That is a loss for Armenia. It’s a brain drain. Armenia needs to entice diasporans to move, old diaspora and the new one flowing out of Armenia. And that will happen if the current administration can improve things.

      It’s heartening to see the young generation in the street over the past few days peacefully voicing discontent.

  8. Avery,

    For an extreme denialist, such as yourself, who persistently pretends that Armenia’s national security is in no way threatened by the mass departure of Armenians from their homeland as a result of the horribly foul policies of your beloved hero’s regime (one of which happens to be the increase of electricity prices three years in a row, including a 17 percent increase this time around), it therefore doesn’t matter what you believe or don’t believe.

    You seem to have a great deal of curiosity about me in regard to my financial situation? Well, up to about a year ago, my financial situation was pretty good, even though I was still below the level of financially rich. As a result, I could afford to travel to Armenia on a frequent basis. Since then, my financial situation hasn’t been the same, and at the current moment, I’m living just slightly above the poverty line. And, you must be quite foolish to actually believe that I could have been, or could possibly be as extremely wealthy as Serzh Sargsyan, and therefore have been capable in the past or present to build 1000’s of apartments for Armenia’s poverty-stricken citizens which that greedy thief of Sargsyan has persistently failed to do.

    Are you actually blind in not noticing the massive protest that’s been taking place in Yerevan over the past several days? Since you didn’t already know, the definition of “massive” is very large, which accurately describes the size of this particular protest.

  9. It is not possible to stop emigration from poor country. Instead everything should be done to increase the birth rate. As simple as that. The nation should be able to reproduce itself. High birth rate along with the quality daycare and public schools are most important investments that will fuel the nation for moving toward prosperity.

  10. I think these protests were a good thing. If anything, they proved to the salivating neocon serpents that we Armenians are not what you think we are. We are not interested in destroying our nation for your benefit, so take your BS and go bake your cookies someplace else.

    They also sent the right message to anyone involved in this that don’t think just because “you own something” you can do anything you want and exploit your monopoly to the detriment of the population.

    I also did a quick non-scientific analysis about electricity rates and wages by comparing Armenia and the USA. On an absolute basis, it seems Armenians pay less for electricity than Americans and for a person in the west, the increase looks negligible, it is something like a 1 cent per kilo-watt-hour increase, which would result in a 7 or 8 dollar increase for an average household.

    However, when we account for wages, Armenians might actually be paying about 7 times more than Americans for electricity already, so any increase makes it even worse. Then there are other factors which might make it worse still, like lack of social aid, the cost of living factor, and whatever else. Of course we cannot compare the social conditions of the US with Armenia, but the electricity prices need to come down dramatically in Armenia, for the general population to experience a more decent quality of life.

    • Hagop,

      I agree with your post here. I would add that these protests, as they were carried out, are an element of a healthy working democracy which Armenia needs. A population needs to be able to voice their justified frustrations and the government respond.

      These peaceful, if somewhat disruptive, protests occur when the leaders of the country keep ignoring the people’s everyday needs and frustrations grow.

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