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Retro. The `Elite' decided to become a little bit richer

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  • Retro. The `Elite' decided to become a little bit richer

    Retro. The `Elite' decided to become a little bit richer

    August 9 2013


    Yesterday, I was in the fixed-run minibus number 8 (which, by the way,
    did not have a note saying AMD 130) and paid 150 AMD but the driver
    did not give me the change of AMD 20. Naturally, I felt shame at
    arguing with him for AMD 20. I can allow myself not to squabble with
    the drivers, but there are people, for whom this 20 drams is vital,
    and this uncertain 130 drams is going to create unnecessary tension
    among our citizens. The price rise of fixed-run minibuses, in general,
    is an immoral step people whose income is 15-20 thousand drams, and
    the loss of additional 2-3 thousand drams per month is substantial for
    their family budget. There are prices that cannot be increased in
    these social conditions. It's one thing when the price of the VIP
    service `Limuzin' per hour is increased, or the trout served in a
    luxurious restaurant. The bread or fixed-run minibuses are another
    thing. The latter does not have an alternative, the buses `cover up'
    the minor part of minibuses, a resident of millionth city cannot do
    without using public transportation. With regard to increase of
    transport fare, free but responsible TV companies vent all their anger
    on the Mayor. This, of course, is a `permitted' courage. The mayor is
    not the President of Armenia, nor the Minister of Defense, he can be
    criticized on the air, Armen Gevorgyan will not call him to the
    presidency because of that and will not give him a `severe reprimand'.
    And, objectively the City Hall has its own share of the blame, because
    it did not refuse the owners who applied with the issue of increasing
    the prices. But the most important thing is why it did not refuse.
    Because, the business of fixed-run minibuses is one of the most
    profitable businesses in Armenia, and the `lines owners' are not
    random people, the ministers, generals, deputies and oligarchs do not
    avoid to be engaged in this business. And so the whole `elite',
    probably thinking that they do not `squeeze' too much income from the
    route lines, decided to become a little bit richer at the expense of
    the pensioners. The City Hall cannot refuse the claim of such
    influential people. Consequently, the problem, as it is accepted to
    say, is `systematic.' In fact, it is well understood by our fellow
    citizens. In the same minibus, an elderly man told me,- `Ay, we so
    complain about how bad they are. In reality, we are bad, because we
    give this 30 drams to them.'

    Aram ABRAHAMYAN 12.08.2005
    Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/08/09/155925/


    From: Baghdasarian
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