A group of citizens staged a protest outside the Armenian government building on Tuesday, complaining that their electricity and natural gas supplies were cut off after they failed to pay the utility bills.
“We have gathered here to ask the prime minister who we have elected why he breaks his promise,” one of the protesters said, referring to Nikol Pashinyan’s promise that the utility companies will not disconnect the gas and electricity supplies to people failing to pay their bills due to the coronavirus crisis.
Police officers urged the protesters to return to their places of isolation although they have filled in a form specifying the reasons to leave their homes.
Several citizens were subjected to administrative liability, as police officers argued that the purpose of leaving their homes specified in the forms are not provided by the commandant’s decision.
"I think it is a very urgent purpose. Under the state of emergency, I have been left without gas and electricity supplies. We have come here to make the problem known by the prime minister. What has changed in our lives that force the majeure has disappeared? Let someone explain us what has changed in our lives. There are people living in more terrible conditions than us. There are people with children who cannot take part in the [remote] classes due to being left without power,” another man said.
The protesters claim there are many dissatisfied people who do not leave their homes.
They promised to continue the protests despite police threats of fines.