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The employees and owners of 17 companies constructing different sections of the North-South highway blocked a road section in Armenia’s Aragatsotn Province, demanding payment of salaries they have been denied for months.

The demonstrators who have blocked traffic through the Ashtarak-Ujan roadway demand a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan who is in charge of the road program.

Speaking to Panorama.am, one of the company founders, Gurgen Hovhannisyan said the Corsán-Corviam Construcción Spanish company, which won the road construction tender, owes a total of 2 billion 49 million drams to the companies.

“Our companies are facing a serious issue: we are unable to pay the salaries of our employees, make our budgetary payments and pay off the debts to supplier companies,” he stressed.

The protesters hope to have the issue resolved through the campaign and expect the government to exert pressure on the Spanish company.

Hovhannisyan says the companies failed to be paid for the road construction works carried out from August to November last year, adding Corsán-Corviam Construcción claims that it is to receive money from the Armenian government to pay them, while the latter says it has no sum to pay.

Bright Armenia (LHK) faction lawmaker Gevorg Gorgisyan said he is rushing to meet with the demonstrators.

Earlier the companies’ heads informed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the emerged issue and its possible consequences, asking for his support to deal with it.