Pits Remain for Months, New Asphalt is Destroyed for Construction Again; Is This Considered Normal? AuroraNews Questions the Prime Minister

During Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's press conference today, a question was raised regarding the potholes in the capital, which are damaging cars, yet no one is fined for this, while the state fines drivers for stopping in the second lane or committing other violations. "I break my car in open manholes and potholes; the roads are not equipped, there are no reflective signs, the newly laid asphalt is destroyed within a day or an hour as they lay water lines, and the state does not fine anyone for all this. I pay taxes, property tax, and the pothole remains for months without anyone being held accountable or fired. Do you consider this normal when an official says they don't want to hear about potholes? Why does the state only fine us? Why does it not fine itself, the contractor who won the tender, or the official responsible for all this? Will this all come to an end?" questioned an AuroraNews journalist.

Pashinyan answered briefly, saying, "Yes."
- "When, in 100 years?" the journalist asked.
"Soon," Pashinyan responded with one word, then added, "Let’s not only talk about what needs to be done in Yerevan but let’s talk about what has been done in Yerevan. Now, if you said that all the problems you mentioned were solved, that those issues did not exist, and as a result, for example, an ineffective city government was formed after the 2018 Yerevan City Council elections with the 'My Step' faction, which led to these problems, I would discuss that. The fact that there are many issues, but I, as a journalist, have addressed those issues many times since 1993. You see, we say we pay taxes; how much do we pay and how much is it?"

He noted that when he goes out to walk in Yerevan, he sends dozens of voice messages to responsible officials regarding the issues raised, and he knows that some of these flagged issues are resolved quickly, while others are not resolved immediately for various reasons.
"Do you remember when there was an issue, I raised that question many times, I said, 'Isn’t the citizen a material for fines?' Then they told me, 'But how is that, is it a material for fines now?'" he explained, noting that a new logic has entered – a points system with criminal liability to establish order.
For further details, refer to the video.