The head of the Informed and Protected Consumer NGO, Babken Pipoyan, has criticized the Yerevan Municipality for its decision to raise transport fares without conducting new calculations, relying instead on metrics rejected by previous administrations in 2013.

Pipoyan shared the municipality's official response, which revealed that the fare adjustment is based on calculations approved on September 24, 2013, by a former mayor, incorporating average inflation rates calculated by Armenia’s Statistical Committee for 2013-2024, according to Infocom.am

Pipoyan explained that transport costs depend on expense optimization and increased revenues. He claimed the municipality only considered income from passenger fares, ignoring other potential revenue streams such as advertising income.

“For years, no advertisements have been placed on newly introduced buses in the capital, and the advertising revenue from the metro has been disregarded entirely. This demonstrates poor management and a system left to run itself,” Pipoyan remarked.

He emphasized that expenses must be thoroughly reviewed, and revenues optimized to justify and validate the fare increase.

Starting February 1, public transport in Yerevan will operate under a new fare system, with payment options including transport cards, QR codes, mobile apps, and bank cards.

Former Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan, who has called for a boycott of the fare hike from February 1, has stated that there is no legislative provision imposing a 50,000-dram fine for not paying the increased fare.