The police are also voicing a complaint on energy rate increase, informs "Haykakan Zhamanak" newspaper.
Referring to its sources the newspaper informs that the National Security Service has recently informed president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan that like the whole state system law enforcement bodies are also discontent with the expected energy rate increase. The police are discussing they should be maximum tolerant towards citizens in case they measure swords against the energy rate increase.
The newspaper informs that several high-rank policemen were invited to President's residence. The law enforcement officials have explained that policemen's salaries are rather low. Rate increase will seriously harm their family budgets. According to the source, over the past years the police have not been this discontent with any other decision. The newspaper informs that "Baghramyan-26 dwellers are seriously concerned over this situation".
On May 8, Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) CJSC submitted an official application to the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) of Armenia to raise the electric power tariffs. ENA (subsidiary of Inter RAO) suggests increasing the daytime tariff to 58.93 AMD versus the current 41.85 AMD, and the nighttime tariff - to 48.93 AMD versus the current 31.85 AMD. The Public Services Regulatory Commission may consider ENA CJSC's application for 80 working days. In case the Commission satisfies ENA's request, it will become the third rise in the electricity tariffs for the past 2 years. In July 2013 electric power rose in price from 30 to 41.8 AMD, with the nighttime tariff growing from 20 AMD to 31.8 AMD. The second rise in the tariffs (by 4 AMD) was registered in summer 2014. The authorities of the country (in the person of Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Yervand Zakharyan) are trying to shift the blame for the growth in tariffs to the "poor management of ENA CJSC". To recall, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Iosif Isayan said that ENA CJSC borrowed USD 220 mln against the guarantee of the Armenian Government. Consequently, if the company is unable to repay the loan, these obligations must be assumed by the taxpayers.
On May 27 several thousand people participated in a large-scale rally protesting against the energy rate increase.