Sergey Danielyan proposes other forms of struggle

Actor Sergey Danielyan thinks that the audit at the Russian-managed Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) will not produce any results. “I think the fight should enter a new stage and protesters should organize strikes, turn off the lights for several hours and take other measures to achieve results,” he said. “Nor will the hunger strike yield results. You [protesters] will only hurt yourselves and gain nothing,” he continued. Head of Karin national singing-dancing ensemble Gagik Ginosyan says the protest against the rising electricity prices organized by young people was a landmark event.  “The sit-in showed that you cannot ‘buy’ the youth. When riot police attempted to disperse the demonstration on Baghramyan Avenue on June 23, the young protesters did not leave the battlefield: they stayed on the avenue, ignoring all dangers and obstacles,” he said adding that the police operations of the two day [June 23 and June 6] cannot be compared. “The police are a structure that arrests, beats and smashes… One should not expect any reforms from them. Do you know any country where the police are better than here?” Mr Dabielyan added. To solve the problem of electricity tariffs, Mr Ginosyan proposes to strip the ENA off its monopoly. “I think all monopolies in Armenia’s economy should be eliminated,” he said.