Color Revolution in Armenia!

[Syt]

... maybe. Think the Russians. And also foreign NGOs and the US are involved somehow.

http://rt.com/politics/269392-russian-senator-armenia-unrest/

Armenian protests resemble Ukrainian Maidan coup scenario - Russian MP

Upper House MP Igor Morozov has said that the current mass rallies in Armenia resemble the first phase of the latest coup in Ukraine, adding that the crisis could be being managed by the United States from their major diplomatic mission in Yerevan.

"Armenia is now close to a coup d'etat with use of firearms. This is going to happen unless President Serge Sargsyan learns some lessons from the Ukrainian Maidan and makes some conclusions," the senator told RIA Novosti in comments over latest developments in Armenia's capital, Yerevan.

Earlier this week thousands of people took into streets in this city protesting increased electricity prices. The rallies ended in violent clashes with police that left dozens of people from both sides injured and hundreds of activists arrested. On Wednesday the protesters rejected an offer to meet with the Armenian president and announced that they would continue their mass sit-in in one of Yerevan's central squares. The standoff has already received the nickname 'Electric Yerevan' from reporters and users of social media.

Morozov noted that the Armenian crisis was very closely repeating the first phase of the latest 'Maidan' coup in Ukraine.

"Back then the Ukrainian opposition also refused to meet with President Viktor Yanukovich and started to appeal to the European community. It was also the time that visiting politicians from Europe started to deliver addresses before the rallies," he said.

The senator pointed at another similarity between the two crises – the very active involvement of US embassies. He said that the influence of American diplomats on the events in Kiev was obvious and there were reports about their current involvement in Electric Yerevan.

"It should be noted that the US embassy in Armenia was among the largest American missions in foreign countries, outscaled only by the diplomatic mission in Iraq, even though Armenia is a very small country," Morozov said.

The head of the Federation Council's Foreign Relations Committee Konstantin Kosachev concluded that the current standoff in Yerevan bore all hallmarks of a so-called 'color revolution' – the overthrow of a democratically-elected regime by means of mass street protests.

"So far the situation appears to be developing as a conflict among people who are unhappy with their socio-economic well-being. But we should not deceive ourselves, all color revolutions developed in similar scenarios. Armenia is not guaranteed from such outcome," Kosachev said in comments with RIA Novosti.

The senior Russian senator also drew the reporters attention to the fact that about a hundred of various non-government groups were working with Armenian public opinion trying to incline it towards the pro-Western way of development. He noted that the very suggestion of a choice between East and West was an imposed move that could only lead to conflict.

"This is an absolutely artificial choice, a dishonest and unappealing political gamble," he noted.

Russia currently lists color revolution as a major threat to the national stability and international peace. In March this year the chairman of the Security Council and a former head of the Federal Security Service, Nikolai Patrushev, said that this body would develop a detailed plan aimed at preventing color revolutions or any other attempts of forceful change of lawfully elected authorities through mass street protest.

The BBC report:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-33238070

Armenian protests: Thousands rally against energy price hike

Thousands of people in the Armenian capital Yerevan have taken part in renewed protests against rising electricity prices.

At least 6,000 made a second attempt to march to the presidential residence on Tuesday evening, reports said.

Earlier, riot police with water cannon had dispersed a similar march and arrested about 200 demonstrators.

Protesters are opposing a decision to increase electricity prices for households by 17-22% from 1 August.

Armenia's electricity network is owned by a Russian company, which says the rise is necessary because of a fall in the value of the national currency, the BBC's South Caucasus correspondent Rayhan Demytrie says.

Witnesses said extra police were brought in late on Tuesday as protesters flooded Yerevan's central Freedom Square.

Many waved national flags and chanted "Shame!" and "No to robbery!"

They also demanded the release of those detained earlier on Tuesday.

Officers in riot gear stood shoulder to shoulder to stop the crowd advancing towards the presidential residence.

But early on Wednesday, protesters continued to fill the streets, witnesses said.

The US embassy said it was concerned by reports of police violence and called for a full investigation.

A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin was closely following the protests.

About 5,000 people had taken part in the earlier rally that was blocked by police. Protesters then staged a sit-in and stopped traffic before being dispersed with water cannon.

Clashes erupted, with seven demonstrators and 11 police injured. Police said arrests were made after some officers were hit with rocks.

There have been a number of demonstrations in Yerevan in recent weeks, reflecting public discontent with the country's faltering economy, our correspondent says.

The former Soviet nation still has close links with Russia. Armenia hosts a Russian military base and a Russian company runs its power distribution network.

The landlocked country has faced economic isolation since the closure of its borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan, over a land dispute regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

[Admiral Yi]

Earlier this week thousands of people took into streets in this city protesting increased electricity prices.

Third world retards bitching about decreased subsidies does not a color revolution make.

[Barrister]

Earlier this week thousands of people took into streets in this city protesting increased electricity prices.

Third world retards bitching about decreased subsidies does not a color revolution make.

If I remember correctly the Tunisian revolution started over some similarly innocuous protests.  These things sometimes have a way of snowballing.

[Admiral Yi]

If I remember correctly the Tunisian revolution started over some similarly innocuous protests.  These things sometimes have a way of snowballing.

Tunisia started over an unlicensed street vendor offing himself after getting bitch slapped by a chick cop.

[Josquius]

It would be dangerous in Armenia considering Russian support is the only thin keeping Azerbaijan away from invading

[alfred russel]

Armenia protests won't get too far because it would endanger their position in nagorno karabakh.

[derspiess]

I'd say that's probably my favorite enclave.

[KRonn]

Armenia's electricity network is owned by a Russian company, which says the rise is necessary because of a fall in the value of the national currency, the BBC's South Caucasus correspondent Rayhan Demytrie says.

Why is the nation so dependent on electricity from Russia? I would think they'd have mostly their own electricity production and only get a small amount from non-domestic sources.

[Martinus]

Armenia's electricity network is owned by a Russian company, which says the rise is necessary because of a fall in the value of the national currency, the BBC's South Caucasus correspondent Rayhan Demytrie says.

Why is the nation so dependent on electricity from Russia? I would think they'd have mostly their own electricity production and only get a small amount from non-domestic sources.

Isn't this pretty normal? I mean, that's no different than British Energy being owned by EdF or some Polish power plants being owned by Swedish Vattenfal (of course, the only difference being that it's Russia).

[alfred russel]

Armenia's electricity network is owned by a Russian company, which says the rise is necessary because of a fall in the value of the national currency, the BBC's South Caucasus correspondent Rayhan Demytrie says.

Why is the nation so dependent on electricity from Russia? I would think they'd have mostly their own electricity production and only get a small amount from non-domestic sources.

The borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey are closed and the country is a small, resource poor, capital poor, infrastructure poor, and landlocked country that is under military threat. It is also a post soviet state dependent on Russia for security.

There is also a major issue with them just generating electricity. They have a nuclear power station that was shut down in the 90s for safety reasons that they have brought back on line because they are low on options. The embargo really hurts the country.

[KRonn]

Ok, I didn't realize the country was in tough shape and had to be so dependent on Russia, and I'm sure Russia likes to keep things that way.

And agreed, many countries get some power/energy from other nations but I figured that electricity generation was something that could be done locally more often than not.

[Syt]

Ok, I didn't realize the country was in tough shape and had to be so dependent on Russia, and I'm sure Russia likes to keep things that way.

It's Armenia's free and independent choice. Stop meddling in other countries' internal affairs! 

[Martinus]

Ok, I didn't realize the country was in tough shape and had to be so dependent on Russia, and I'm sure Russia likes to keep things that way.

And agreed, many countries get some power/energy from other nations but I figured that electricity generation was something that could be done locally more often than not.

I think you are misunderstanding. Power generation is done locally, it's just that the company is owned by Russians.