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The Armenian police issued a statement today calling on demonstrators against a power tariff rise to unblock voluntarily Bagramyan Avenue in Yerevan by 12:30 local time.

“The Armenian police are going today to restore traffic in Bagramyan Avenue that has been blocked for about two weeks, including by removing the objects that were placed in the roadway and impede the traffic. Although the Armenian police proposed that the organizers and participants in an unauthorized assembly should unblock voluntarily Bagramyan Avenue, these calls have been completely ignored in the past few days.

Nevertheless the Armenian police proposes for the last time that the rally organizers and participants should voluntarily unblock Bagramyan Avenue by 12:30 pm today. Otherwise, starting that time, the police will do everything by using their authority.

“The police also state that the mentioned actions will not be aimed at terminating the assembly if it continues not in the roadway of Bagramyan Avenue and if it does not impede the normal flow of traffic,” the statement says.

As was reported, on June 28 the demonstrators against the power tariff hike divided into two groups after blocking Bagramyan Avenue in downtown Yerevan for over a week. The presidential residence, the parliament, the Constitutional Court, and several embassies are located on that avenue. Following the June 27 statement of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, the organizers of rallies attended by thousands – members of ‘No to Plunder’ civic initiative urged protesters to leave Bagramyan Avenue and move to Liberty Square nearby. Yet some of protesters refused to leave and continue blocking Bagramyan Avenue. On July 2 the Armenian police removed water cannon and armored personnel carriers from Bagramyan Avenue in Yerevan, while the previous day, July 1, the police called on the rally organizers and participants to respect the Constitution, laws and legitimate interests of others and to unblock the avenue voluntarily.