Mall workers in Yerevan protest eviction from prime retail space

Employees of the Rossia Shopping Mall in Yerevan staged a protest outside the center on Thursday, voicing anger over plans to remove them from long-held retail spaces on the ground floor.

For years, small traders have operated from stalls and boutiques on the mall’s first floor. They now face relocation to upper levels, which they argue will reduce foot traffic and harm their businesses.

Mall representatives defended the decision, likening it to a homeowner renovating their property. “You are tenants. The landlord has the right to renovate their house. You are not being evicted from your homes; you are being offered alternative space,” one official told demonstrators.

Protesters rejected the offer, saying the proposed units were tucked away on the third floor. “We don’t want that place,” one participant said.

"The country is in ruins. It’s very difficult to build anything today," a woman added.

Workers claim the vacated ground-floor area will be handed over to major brands, leaving dozens of small traders without livelihoods. Many said they were already struggling with loans and feared financial collapse.

“We are asking at least for proper boutiques to be built here, even if it takes a month. Let the rent be higher, but let us stay in the same place,” a protester said.