TRADERS OF TRADE FAIR BY HRAZDAN STADIUM HOLD PROTEST ACTION BY GOVERNMENTAL BUILDING

ARKA
March 26, 2009

YEREVAN, March 26. /ARKA/. A number of traders of the trade fair by
Hrazdan stadium held a protest action in front of the building of
the Armenian Government demanding decrease of rental payments from
management of the trade fair.

According to the participants of the action they pay 150,000-250,000
AMD rental fee monthly, depending on sizes of their trading pavilions,
but they are not able to pay rental payments as the trade turnover
has decreased.

Traders noted the rents have lately been decreased by 10%, but they
need to be decreased by 30-40% more.

They stated the directorate of the trade fair has already warned the
most active participants of the action to leave their spots in the
trade fair.

Aleksandr Ghazaryan, the Head of the Department for Reception of
Citizens and Discussion of Petitions of the Armenian Government met
with participants of the action and assured them that the Government
understands the difficulty of the problem and will try to help them.

He also stressed the Government does not have the right to
decrease the rent, but tries to help to settle the problem through
negotiations.