PRIME MINISTER CALMS DOWN BUS DRIVERS

ARMENPRESS
Nov 02 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Prime minister Serzh Sarkisian
went out of the government building today to calm down drivers of
passenger buses who were protesting outside it against an alleged
government decision to privatize the buses, run currently by a
municipality-affiliated company.

Drivers cited a government decision of last August to ground their
fears. They said when this happens they will lose their jobs and
those who will remain will have worse labor conditions.

But the prime minister corrected them by saying that under that
decision in question the buses owned by Avtobus company of the
municipality will be leased to private companies and not privatized.

The prime minister said the buses remain the property of the
municipality and the private companies will have to observe its
terms. He told the drivers they should ask those who claim that the
buses will be privatized, to prove their claims by a document.