One kilogram of pork costs 4000 drams, and a driver can't operate a bus if he eats pilaf. Drivers' protests continue

“With these 260 thousand drams, I cannot support a family. Yes, they say 260 thousand drams is good for 15 days, but dear friends, the driver leaves at 5 in the morning and returns home at 2 at night,” said one of the bus drivers during an ongoing protest, as reported by hraparak.am.

“This is how it is—plan-wise, I receive a fixed salary of 120 thousand drams. In the evening, I pay off the plan which is, for example, 46 thousand drams. Whatever is left, say 8 thousand drams, goes into my pocket, but out of that 8 thousand, I definitely put 2 thousand aside because the bus maintenance is on the driver. The driver covers those expenses from his own pocket.”

“Currently, with the increased amount, my salary, combined with another person’s, comes to about 350 thousand drams, which goes into the household budget. However, with 260 thousand drams, I repeat, we cannot support a household. We are accountable; we maintain the vehicle—I get no profit left. Tell me, how can I support a family?”

“If these vehicles are older than ten years, it becomes an issue of the driver too. If the driver does not spend money on these vehicles, they will not run. We are the ones maintaining the vehicles; no fool would work on our vehicles for such low wages. Just look at that broken-down bus,” the driver added jokingly. “We need a decent salary; it is essential. One kilogram of pork costs 4000 drams, and if a driver eats pilaf, he cannot drive a bus.”