Consumer rights advocate slams Yerevan authorities over snow chaos

Armenia’s capital was thrown into gridlock after heavy snowfall, prompting sharp criticism of Yerevan’s city authorities for failing to clear roads and keep public transport running .

In an interview to Panorama.am on Monday, consumer rights advocate Babken Pipoyan, head of the Informed and Protected Consumer NGO, said the Yerevan Municipality’s inaction led not only to complaints but also to citizens offering condolences over injuries and losses caused by icy streets.

He said his organization advised callers to raise the issue with municipal authorities and noted that residents could seek compensation in court for damages caused by the city’s failure to fulfil its responsibilities.

“The collapse in Yerevan was obvious,” Pipoyan said, adding that many drivers were unable to move their cars due to untreated roads. He dismissed officials’ explanations about the volume of snowfall, saying forecasts were known in advance and equipment should have been deployed earlier.

“If snow-clearing had started at around 3 p.m., the situation would have been normal and traffic jams would have been avoided by 5 p.m.,” he said.

Pipoyan also mocked city officials’ statements about reviewing snow-clearing methods, saying they might as well have advised residents to “take sleeping pills and sleep through the chaos.”

He criticized the poor performance of public transport during the disruption, calling it “shameful” that authorities merely warned of delays instead of increasing services to discourage private car use.

“Transport reform is not just new buses,” Pipoyan said. “A real reform means a complete system with enough vehicles, proper stops and reliable schedules.”