“We will not pay 150 drams” protest against the increase in transport, is not a transport revolution, it is a formation of a new urban culture”,- so expressed his opinion Suren Sahakyan, one of the young men during the 4th day sit-in at the City Hall, in an interview with Aravot.am in response to the observation that many qualify the action and its outcome as a “transportation revolution”. According to Suren,- “I consider a revolution in the formation of a new culture,
when people were living so many years and when walking they were not smiling to each other, they were always walking malcontent, suddenly the accumulated negative energy is expressed in positive emotions, and they began to smile to each other, and the atmosphere of mutual support was formed. That is a revolution, a revolution of urban culture, and as for the revolution of transport or price, I do not take those words serious.” Note that the three activists of sit-in, Vahagn Minasyan, Gor Arakelyan and Suren Sahakyan have spread a statement, according to which they demand the resignation of the head of Department of Transportation Henrik Navasardyan and the head of “Yerevan-Trans” Misak Hambardzumyan because these two officials displayed inappropriate behavior with activists and journalist during the days of the action. In an interview with Aravaot.am, Suren said with confidence that their demands will be met, and believed that there would be really a dismissal. “If we are living in a legitimate country, then, yes, they will dismiss, there are materials, there is a video, there are evidences of citizens, and it clearly shows the criminal nature of the value system of the officials regulating the sector.” Recently, rumors are spread that a split began between the protesters and sit-in demonstrators, to our question question as to what really happened, Suren Sahakyan said that there is no such thing, who has said this kind of thing, let him indicate the names. “On the contrary, I see that the problem is not in the 100 or 150 drams, but, in general, the demand in systemic changes.
Until now people gather in Mashtots Park, hold discussions, make plans, a civil society is formed, maybe someone has decided the problem is 100-150 drams, and he does not have any problems other than this, and does not want to participant in the process and says that they are split.” Aravot.am asked Suren Sahakyan whether the gays of the “Communist Park” did not visit tonight, because they have done such a thing a day before, the activist said,-“The prostitutes were sent on the first night, and we have the information that they have come for special purpose – for provocation, and curse. There was a girl with us, they were calling her Persian, and emphasis was laid on her, that the guys will defend her and … later they have confessed that they were sent on special purpose”. Presented by Suren, the lights of the City Hall on previous night were turned off very early, and they have found a way against irrigation, they have placed the posters with Henrik Navasradyan’s photos on the water shower so that the water flows underneath to the meadow, and not jets around like a fountain and bothers people.
Nelli BABAYAN
