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“Our demands remain unchanged, and none of them has been met. Only with regard to one of thе three demands, the Armenian authorities made a minor concession. They are going to conduct an audit,” the member of ‘No to Plunder’ civic initiative Maksim Sargsyan said today at the discussion “Civic Activism and the Ongoing Struggle on Bagramyan Avenue”.

‘No to Plunder’ civic initiative earlier made three demands: to revoke the June 17 decision of Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission about a rise in electricity tariffs by 6.93 drams; to bring to account management of Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) Company; and to punish all policemen who committed violations during the events early June 23.

“None of three demands has been met so they remain unchanged and urgent,” Maksim Sargsyan said.

For his part, civic activist, Chairman of Hayazn NGO Armen Mkrtchyan said referring to the Yerevan rallies against the power tariff hike that the last ten days have been a bright page in Armenia’s contemporary history.

The civic activists declared they will be consistent during the audit of Electric Networks of Armenia, but they are not going to participate in that process.

As was reported, President Serzh Sargsyan said at the June 27 consultation with officials responsible for the economic policy in Armenia that cancelling the decision on power tariff rise is “very dangerous”. For this reason the government will cover the tariff rise until the conclusion (of an audit of Electric Networks – editor), he said. “Of course, we will not pull out the ongoing programs or social expenditures, but will identify other resources among the means allotted for the further strengthening of (energy) security.

Certainly, our security issues are far from being solved, to say the least, and yet that environment of suspicion and distrust that we have now, I think is another security issue and a very important one. And that must be solved. And if that conclusion [of the audit] confirms the price increase is well-based, from that moment on the consumers will begin paying the new tariff without having any suspicions. Should the conclusion confirm the increase had been groundless, the government would take measures to get refunds from the ENA on the amount surcharged, as well as bring to account those officials that failed on their duties»,” the president said noting that under such conditions the work that the government started a few months ago to change the owner of ENA will become a certainty, and the option of returning the company to the state and transferring it for competitive management is not ruled out.