The Government of Armenia does not want to invest money in alternative energy sources, Head of Sociometer Center Aharon Adibekyan told journalists on Monday when asked to comment on the planned rise in the electricity price.
"In the 1990s when electricity in Yerevan was supplied for just 2-3 hours a day, we put solar batteries on the roof of our office and had light round the clock. Unfortunately, our present-day authorities are reluctant to invest money in alternative energy sources as they think that they are too expensive," Adibekyan said.
He believes that the rise will be a new burden for many families in Armenia. "As many as 1/3 of our families are already unable to pay their bills," he said.
According to Armenia's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Yervand Zakharyan, the country's energy companies need additional 18bln AMD ($44mln) to ensure stable supplies, and so, they have asked for a 10% rise in their tariff. The tariff may be raised on Aug 1 2014.