“I perceive the statement as a symbolic move, which says that the patience of the protest participants and the organizers is not endless”, said the Chairman of Yerevan Press Club Boris Navasardyan, in the interview with Aravot.am, referring to the statement of the member of “Barev, Yerevan” bloc, David Sanasaryan. He believes that the protesters are willing to receive an urgent answer to one of their demands. He expressed hope that the authorities will also perceive it and would make constructive moves. “One of the police functions is to warn that any progress will lead to retaliatory measures.
On the other hand, it seems to me that the sides are not the police and the protesters, but the protesters and the authorities, the police is the executing body. Here, we should have more expected not the police response, but the response of the authorities about whether they intend once again to discuss the possibilities of fulfilling the demands of the protesters. These are already serious questions, and if there is no answer to these questions, then there will be a clash or escalation of the situation if not here, then somewhere else. This is obvious, because no matter how few people there are in Baghramyan Avenue in these last days, we clearly realize that the majority of the public in the country is greatly dissatisfied with the situation, and naturally, the electricity price hike is just one window, from where this discontent comes out,” said Boris Navasardyan.
He is sure that authorities have the way out. Excluding the electricity price rise is a possible solution for the authorities. “And if possible, we should expect the authorities to fulfil this possible. It is also possible to identify the perpetrators, who used violence on June 23. Nothing fantastic and unfulfillable is demanded today, hence, if the authorities are not ready to display a constructive approach to these problems, then the tension, the escalation, if not here, then somewhere else, will certainly occur.”
Ami CHICHAKYAN
