Armenia: Anti-Government Protests May Mimic Middle East Unrest

No Comments | March 2nd, 2011 | Trackback

Public transport to the capital city, Yerevan, was stopped ahead of the March 1 rally by the opposition Armenian National Congress that drew 50,000 people according to protest organizers (10,000 according to police officials). All buses and minibuses operating between Yerevan and the surrounding regions were halted to reduce the size of the rally. Opposition leaders and some analysts believe Armenians are sufficiently inspired by recent events in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya to push for a sea change of their own, but government officials and supporters dismiss the notion that troubles in Armenia are anywhere nearly as dramatic as in those countries. Nonetheless, tensions could boil over into full-blown unrest, so travelers should monitor the situation closely.