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At the extraordinary session today, on June 23, the Armenian parliament ratified the agreement of April 14, 2015 between Armenia and the Eurasian Development Bank on the provision of an investment credit by EURASEC Anti-Crisis Fund for funding the North-South Road Corridor construction project (tranche 4).

Under the agreement Armenia will receive a credit equivalent to $150 million. The document was signed by Armenian Minister of Transport and Communications Gagik Beglaryan and Chairman of the Eurasian Development Bank’s Board Dmitry Pankin.

Prior to the vote, MP of the opposition faction ‘Prosperous Armenia’ Mikael Melkumyan said he backs the agreement’s ratification as the construction of North-South Road Corridor is a must. “However, efficient control should be exercised,” he said.

For his part, Nikol Pashinyan, a deputy of ‘Armenian National Congress’ (HAK) opposition faction, declared that he intends to vote against any bills submitted, regardless of their contents. “In this way I demand the release of all those taken to police stations and express my support for citizens struggling for their civil rights,” he noted.

Early Tuesday, June 23, the police dispersed demonstrators who blocked the central Bagramian Avenue in Yerevan to protest a rise in electricity tariffs. Prior to dispersal, the police told demonstrators to leave Bagramian Avenue and return to Liberty Square so that traffic could resume. Over 200 people, including reporters, were taken to police stations. 25 people sought emergency medical aid, the press service of Health Ministry reported. Following the events on Bagramian Street, the Office of Armenian Prosecutor General opened a criminal case under the article ‘hooliganism’.