Recently, the “owners of the lines” also decided to make a demonstration demanding of making the traffic fare to 200 drams. I doubt about such demonstrations of being “spontaneous”, because, first, those who introduce themselves as “owners of the lines”, in reality play the role of a ‘proxy’, they are the ones ‘making the line operating’ and not the owners. But, neither the ones making the line operating, not the owners of the line cannot hold a demonstration without the instructions of the authorities, because they are dependent people. The vivid evidence of it is that, contrary to business logic, they do not work when the authorities instruct them. And, when the authorities give such instructions, do you remember? Yes, when they are afraid of the opposition rallies, and when they want people to come to Liberty Square. Also, when the citizens who have received bribes are free transported to the polling stations. Aren’t they concerned about their business to suffer during such days? It seems to me that this simple example make it clear that the owners of the lines are not the owners of their head.
The demonstration of the owners of the lines is approximately the same as the employees of the Customs House demand to increase the ‘rate’ of their bribes, or the traffic police hold a demonstration to eliminate the video camera devices, because thus they cannot put the penalty into their pockets. Or, the ministers go to the Liberty Square with the poster “We demand making the rollback to 30 per cent”. The owners of the lines are part of the same system, the same so-called “bureau” along with above listed citizens, and their demands of ‘revolt’, ultimately, are the aspirations of the same state officials. It is its natural reaction, “get along with your already not less revenues.”
It is possible to talk about the fare increase only after the owners of the lines (of course, real owners of the lines) make an investment that will enable the drivers to be released from the necessity to collect money and, consequently, from the “plan”, and when all the passengers will travel sitting, as it is required by the law. We should think about the increase after the investments, and not before. In other words, the owners of the lines should invest from their super-revenues already received, and not collecting this money from the people. The following fact proves that such investments are possible: A businessman with elegant nickname ‘executioner’, due to semi-political and semi-personal reasons (these two are constantly intertwined in Armenia), made investments and bought expensive and comfortable buses. Hence, the owners of the lines do have money; they have just “put it underneath.”
Aram Abrahamyan
