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Armenian Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan has commented on a statement by demonstrators against a rise in power tariffs. Demonstrators said they are prepared to meet with President if their demand is met: the meeting should be broadcast live on TV.

“One should not present demands to the head of state, one should accept them. Citizens of the country should not say one thing or another to President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief who calls for a dialog. When the matter concerns solution of a specific problem, and the head of state extends his hand in the past two days, while in response they say one thing or another, this shows that there is still no program, they still have nothing to say,” Gasparyan told reporters on Bagramian Avenue in downtown Yerevan.

In response to a reporter’s remark that representatives of the authorities are servants of the people, the Armenian police chief said: “We are not servants, we serve. Woe to those who will take us for servants”.

As was reported, a sit-in protest is underway in central Bagramian Avenue of Yerevan. The protest is staged by supporters of ‘No to Robbery’ civic initiative against the rise in electricity tariffs. Participants stress that the protest they have been staging since June 19 is purely social by nature. They demand that the head of state revoke the decision of Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission of June 17 to raise electricity tariffs by 6.93 drams.