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Workers of Yerevan-based Nairit chemical plant blocked today Bagratuniants Avenue, one of the major avenues in Armenia’s capital city, to demand repayment of their back wages.

Anush Harutyunyan – a member of Nairit’s coordinating group for protest actions – told Panorama.am that promises were made earlier about debt repayment by July 15, but now they are told to sign a number of documents , with ‘some incomprehensible arguments being put forward’.

In particular, they are offered to sign an agreement on a waiver of fines, which are paid to employees in case of back wages. They were told that in this case their debts will be paid within 4-5 days. Anush Harutyunyan said the workers were informed that they will not receive their wages if they refuse to sign the abovementioned document.

“We are not against that demand, we will sign, but in this way they are delaying the salary payment due tomorrow. We already learned that no salaries will be distributed tomorrow,” she added.

As was reported, on June 9 Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan received a group of Nairit Plant’s workers. He said that during the consultation held by the Armenian president, it was decided to find financial resources to pay Nairit staff’s back wages for recent years. The PM said that Energy Minister Yervand Zakharyan was instructed to set up a commission for calculating the wages and that the debt would be repaid by July 15.

Since late 2014 Nairit Plant workers have staged protests which are backed by some Armenian political forces. They demand repayment of their back wages for the last 4 years – a sum of 5.7 billion drams. On February 6, 2015 the plant announced 1700 lay-offs.