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The Armenian police used water cannons Tuesday morning, June 23, to disperse protesters demonstrating against a rise in electricity tariffs in the country.

Prior to the dispersal of the demonstration, the police told protesters to leave Bagramian Avenue and return to Liberty Square so that traffic could resume.

Dozens of offenders were taken to police stations, according to the press service of Armenian Police.

As was reported, Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) Company earlier submitted a bid to the Public Services Regulatory Commission about a rise in electricity tariffs. The parliamentary opposition considers it unfounded and serving the interests of that company. The current night-time tariff for the population is 31.85 drams per one KWh, the daytime tariff is 41.85 drams. The bid of ENA proposed raising the tariffs to 48 and 58 drams respectively. Yet the Commission satisfied the bid of ENA only partially on June 17. The tariffs In Armenia will increase by 6.93 drams, and not by 17 drams.

The Commission’s decision will take force on August 1, 2015. On June 19 the civic initiative ‘No to Robbery’ staged a rally in Yerevan. The activists later decided to hold a 3-day sit-in in Yerevan’s Liberty Square.