The atmosphere in Armenia is electric. Armenia has been exploding into global news and on social media recently. For the past few weeks, dissatisfied citizens have been lining the streets of Yerevan, the country’s capital, in protest against government policy. But what exactly started this movement? And could the so-called ‘Electric Yerevan’ demonstrations expand into something much larger?
Protesters have taken to the streets. These are in response to a government decision to dramatically increase energy prices. Last month, the Armenian government decided that in August electricity prices were to increase by 16%, and this provoked a furious response from the public.
The protest movement in Armenia has been given the name #ElectricYerevan, and it has been continuous, at all hours, for well over a fortnight.
After attempting to quell the protests through repression, which has resulted in over 200 arrests, the government chose a different tactic. By retracting the measure to increase energy prices, the Armenian government hoped that the protests would cease. They didn’t. Over a week after it was removed, the protests are still going strong
Azerbaijan has been ignited. It is not only the capital Yerevan that has seen large protests. All of the country’s largest cities, including Gyurmi, and Vanadzor, have seen their own large protests, and smaller demonstrations have erupted throughout all regions of the country. What started in the capital has expanded greatly. However, as we enter the third week of this movement, the group has already been divided. Following the Armenian government’s concession over electricity prices, some of the protesters were placated. Others, clearly, were not so easily pleased.
Three weeks in, and the protests do not show any signs of stopping. Like many protests and demonstrations before it, #ElectricYerevan seems likely to expand. What started with a minor grievance, could grow into a swell of dissatisfaction that threatens to sweep away the very ground beneath the government’s feet.
#ElectricYerevan began with a single issue and a single location. With the social situation in Armenia, it is unlikely to stay focused on just this. The country is experiencing financial difficulty, and its relationship with Russia remains extremely close. Russia has a military base in Armenia, and has just loaned the country $200m, purely for the purchase of arms. As Armenia’s dissenters continue to protest, a Russian-backed Armenian security service may respond with an even more heavy-handed approach. With these complex dimensions, it is unlikely that #ElectricYerevan will soon turn off.
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