Electric Yerevan’ is Sliding Out of Control
Armenians have taken to the streets to protest a planned 17-22% increase in their utility bills, initiated by the Armenian Electricity Network due to the Armenian dram’s dramatic depreciation over the past year (about equal in percentage to the price hike itself). While it’s understandable that some in the economically struggling country would be upset by the $85 or so cumulative increase in payments each year, many find it troubling that some individuals have resorted to arming themselves and aggressively attacking the police, and it’s confusing that the participants would reject government appeals to negotiate if all they were really after was to repeal the electricity rate increase.
