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The Armenian youth woke up, as if from a deep sleep, and now they need to attract professional economists and lawyers to their ranks, People’s Artist of Armenia, director Nikolai Tsaturyan said today referring to the rallies staged in Bagramyan Avenue of Yerevan to protest a hike in electricity prices.

In his words, there are still numerous problems to be solved because of a deficit in public trust. People have ‘slight faith’ even in the audit expected to be conducted at Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) Company, the director said.

Writer, publicist Meruzhan Ter-Gulanyan for his part spoke about the latest developments in Armenia, expressing discontent over the reaction to those events in other countries, particularly in Russia.

“I fail to understand why the Russians are trying to see a Maidan in these developments. Let them keep their Maidan to themselves. We have glorious youth and their goals are honest,” the writer said.

The government has also behaved correctly, Ter-Gulanyan said. Yet he considering the young people’s refusal to meet with the head of state an incorrect move.

“Except for June 23, the Armenian police also showed to good advantage,” the writes said. In his words, things that should not have taken place happened that day.

Nikolai Tsaturyan and Meruzhan Ter-Gulanyan appealed to those rally participants who still remain on Bagramyan Avenue: “Dear guys. Go home. It’s hot today. Go and wait for the audit results”.

As was reported, President Serzh Sargsyan said at the June 27 consultation with officials responsible for the economic policy in Armenia that cancelling the decision on power tariff rise is “very dangerous”. For this reason the government will cover the tariff rise until the conclusion (of an audit of Electric Networks – editor), he said. “Of course, we will not pull out the ongoing programs or social expenditures, but will identify other resources among the means allotted for the further strengthening of (energy) security.

Certainly, our security issues are far from being solved, to say the least, and yet that environment of suspicion and distrust that we have now, I think is another security issue and a very important one. And that must be solved. And if that conclusion [of the audit] confirms the price increase is well-based, from that moment on the consumers will begin paying the new tariff without having any suspicions. Should the conclusion confirm the increase had been groundless, the government would take measures to get refunds from the ENA on the amount surcharged, as well as bring to account those officials that failed on their duties»,” the president said noting that under such conditions the work that the government started a few months ago to change the owner of ENA will become a certainty, and the option of returning the company to the state and transferring it for competitive management is not ruled out.