Avinyan: actual transport expenses far exceed reported 65 drams

PanARMENIAN.Net - Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan has rejected claims that the cost per passenger for city transport is 65 drams, arguing that the city's actual expenses are far higher.

"Recently, there have been claims that the cost of passenger transportation in Yerevan is 65 drams. I have no idea where they got these figures. They could have said 23 drams, 6 drams—even 6 drams sounds better. However, the monthly expenses of Yerevan Bus CJSC are around 1.8 billion drams, not including newly purchased buses," Avinyan stated, according to Auroranews.am .

He also reminded that the fare had been set at 100 drams since the late 1990s.

"We need to better communicate our work and these simple facts to the public. When we remain silent, manipulative narratives take over. Now, some are trying to convince people that with new 12-meter German buses and 8.5-meter vehicles, we can transport passengers for 65 drams, as if that is the real cost. They might as well claim it's 6 drams, 7 drams, or even free," he added.

Since February 1, former Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan, the Mother Armenia faction in the City Council, and youth movements have been protesting the fare hike, urging people to continue paying 100 drams.

On February 1, Yerevan’s City Council approved a fare increase to 150 drams with 33 votes in favor. A unified ticketing system will also be introduced. Additionally, monthly, 90-day, and 365-day tickets purchased between January 1 and February 28 will include an extra 30 days of use.