Not Always Do People Solve the Daily Bread Problem; Sometimes It’s Just Business: Street Trade in Yerevan

In Yerevan, the seizure of goods from individuals engaged in street trade has yielded significant results, as the volume has decreased. This information was shared by Levon Hovhannisyan, the acting mayor of Yerevan, in an interview with Sputnik Armenia.

"It is a chronic problem that has been addressed by municipal authorities through various means at different times. This approach is not a final solution to the issue, but it has produced considerable results; now, supervision needs to be even stronger," he noted.

The National Assembly of Armenia has restricted street trade in Yerevan since March 22, 2023. According to the changes, goods outside designated areas (i.e., agricultural markets) are subject to confiscation in the case of street trade. Over the past few months, many vendors have been fined, and their goods confiscated; however, a few days later, the same individuals were seen trading again in the same locations.

The media asked Hovhannisyan about the rationale behind depriving people of income for a day if they continue their activities afterward. "This is a very delicate question. Not always do people solve the daily bread problem; sometimes it's simply business. Those individuals are even willing to face community fines because the money they earn is greater," he stated.

In the interview, Hovhannisyan mentioned that for those traders who genuinely sell goods to earn their daily bread (mainly those selling agricultural products grown in their own gardens), the municipality offers opportunities to trade in specifically designated areas.

Regarding the goods confiscated from vendors, the acting mayor assured that they are kept in special storage facilities, and sometimes the vendors are given the chance to retrieve their goods, depending on how many times the violation has occurred.