“Public transport in Yerevan should be free,” the “Victory” Party announced. This claim was criticized for nothing happening for free. In particular, Babken Tunyan, deputy of the Civil Contact faction, noted, “If it is announced that such and such a service is free, it simply means that not the users of these services pay for that service, but everyone, with the taxes they pay.”
Victor Mnatsakanyan, the Leader of the “Victory” party, the candidate for the Mayor in the Yerevan Council of Elders elections, who was hosted on the “Aravot” program “Areresum” (“Confrontation”) explained in this regard: “We are not doing financial reform. We are reforming transport.” Earlier, he asked a question: Who said that it must be done at the expense of the budget? “Yerevan has various unused and lost finances and losses.”
Victor Mnatsakanyan, the Leader of the “Victory” party
According to him, for example, the amounts of Yerevan parking lots need to be collected correctly. “Free parking spaces should be built in many parts of the capital, even underground, but parking spaces can be made more expensive for non-center residents, especially in the restaurant part of the small Center.
When asked if he thinks it will be enough, Viktor Mnatsakanyan answered: “At least. Full. We have a calculation. Unfortunately, today, there are no relevant specialists in the National Assembly and the Yerevan City Hall, not even sympathetic residents of Yerevan who would be interested in the problems of Yerevan’s parking lots because it is unpopular.
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People are preparing for elections and do not want to trouble the people of Yerevan.” According to him, today, there are about 6,000 parking lots in the small Center of Yerevan, most of which are very cheap. “35 AMD is ridiculous. We can raise the price to 2 thousand drams. We can build bicycle lanes and widen the sidewalks, bringing a much greater economic effect.”
The other program guest, Yervand Tarverdyan, the Chairman of the “United Armenia” party and the candidate for Mayor in the Yerevan Council of Elders elections, objected. “I disagree with the position that only money is needed to widen bicycle lanes or sidewalks. We need space for that.”
Yervand Tarverdyan, the Chairman of the “United Armenia” party
According to him, their approach is different. “Certain social groups will be given free privileges to use public transport: students, schoolchildren, pensioners. And the citizens who can work and can pay, let them pay.”
There is a provision in the pre-election program of the “United Armenia” party that parking cars on the streets with heavy traffic should be prohibited. “If those cars don’t stop there, traffic will be at least 50-60 percent faster,” said Yervand Tarverdyan.
He added that the entrance of cars to the city center should be prohibited at certain hours.
Anna ISRAYELYAN
