Street traders forced to street in Yerevan
In the morning of January 21, street vendors near Malatya fair came to work to learn that they were left jobless and had to dismantle their trade centers. Street trade was prohibited on the site in compliance with a decision of the new mayor.
According to the vendors, they have been offered no other alternative or warned beforehand.
"Let them provide us with jobs and then prohibit the business. What shall I do? How shall we keep my children?" trader Nune told A1+.
"We were not informed about the mayor's decision. We came in the morning to see our stalls collected and our goods scattered," said another trader.
"They say they are clearing off the road which has been closed for 20 years. They do not care for us and force us to the street," said a third.
The desperate traders could not imagine their future steps. The municipality offers the vendors to trade in the market but they argue that vending in markets is not profitable because they must pay additional taxes.
"We do not know what to do. Instead of meeting us and listening to our complaints, they brought us sad news early in the morning," said Arman
Mayor Karen Karapetian ordered the ban shortly after taking office in December 2010.
