Scuffle erupts at Yerevan City Council session

Tensions ran high at a special session of the Yerevan City Council amid debates on revised public transport fares on Friday. Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan announced earlier that, starting February 1, a new public transport ticket would be introduced in the city at a price of 150 drams per ride.

"You have been saying 300 drams for a year," Avinyan told opposition members, triggering an uproar. "Calm down! You've been talking for a year," he added as tensions escalated into an altercation and a scuffle between opposition and pro-government factions.

Avinyan called for order, urging the police to remove opposition councilor Samvel Hakobyan from the session hall. The latter refused to leave, prompting a 15-minute break. Later, he told reporters, "I never insult people in my political activities."