YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Demonstrators protesting
against a hike in electricity prices are dancing and singing on the
Armenian capital's main avenue, maintaining pressure on the government.
 |
| Add caption |
Hundreds of protesters gathered on the road for a
fifth straight day Friday behind a barricade of large trash containers
separating them from police. Others were hiding from sweltering heat
under roadside trees and umbrellas.
Following Monday's unsuccessful attempt to end the
protest by force, authorities have taken a wait-and-see approach and
police didn't interfere with the protest. There was no end in sight,
however, to the worst unrest the ex-Soviet nation has seen in years as
the government rejected the protesters' demand to annul the price hike.
The country's power grid is controlled by a Russian electricity giant,
and Moscow watched the protest with concern.
