The highway from Ejmiadzin to Yerevan has been blocked since this morning. Because of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) rally, there was a catastrophic situation for the residents of Ejmiadzin working and studying in Yerevan. The drivers of minibuses were ordered once again not to drive. The more the possibility of people’s getting late for classes and work was increasing, the more hopes of getting to Yerevan were dispelling.
The study day for Nune Antonyan started and finished in the car park of Ejmiadzin, “I have been standing here for 2 hours. There are no Gazels, I cannot take taxis. The moment they stop people throw themselves in like savages. I do not even manage to approach the door of a car. For what shall I go to class at this hour? I am going home.”
Today, seizing the opportunity, the taxis have raised the service payment up to 500 AMD, whereas on non-rally days they serve passengers for 300 AMD. “There is no Gazel, that is why we drive for 500 AMD. We are offered such an opportunity once in a month, why should we let it slip? Each for himself and the devil take the hindmost! Instead of being grateful that we take them to the place they want, they complain that we take too much. Well, imagine what will happen, if we don’t drive out of principle! Therefore, think that we do today’s passengers a favor!” a taxi driver who refused to introduce himself said frankly.
One of the fixed-run taxi drivers admitted that he had gotten tired of this situation, “We waste the whole day. We have become the property of some people – we drive when they want and when they don’t we sit idly by like this. I don’t understand what buffoonery this is. Who doesn’t know that one who goes to a rally doesn’t rely on our Gazels. If we don’t take them, the taxis will. I live in a village and know for sure that the opposition guys of our village have been in Yerevan since yesterday. They always do so, they manage one or two days in advance. What else did you expect that they will wait for the service of these?”
Read also
We could not call the head of the transport company – he was constantly unreachable. “He has turned his phone off” observed a driver.
As on any rally day, today also the traffic police officers were on duty near the Parakar “GAI post” (traffic police post). They said that they performed their everyday duties, but today they had been performing since early morning. Although they don’t stop any means of transportation for no reason, however they control anyway. They didn’t go into details what they were controlling or in particular, what kind of transportation. Only one of them deliberately or on purpose was frank that “let’s say, if 50 people go to a rally on foot, we cannot send them back, now can we? The most we can do is to tell them to walk on the right side not to be run over.
Mariam ARSENYAN
