YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–ArmenTel disconnected the telephone lines of a number of users in Yerevan on Thursday. As a result–telephone lines were made available in ArmenTel’s servicing points. Andranik Manukian–the Minister of Communication–visited some of these servicing points in the Center District and assured those present that they can go home and that their telephones would be reconnected immediately. The minister emphasized that ArmenTel’s actions were illegal and those guilty will be punished. Manukian told reporters that the General Executive Director of ArmenTel Nikos Georgulas is in Greece–and they have not determined who the person responsible for the disconnection is yet.
The minister told the users not to pay their bills and assured them that their telephone lines will not be disconnected again. Many telephone lines were disconnected because the users had not paid the 900 dram monthly fee. Manukian said that the bills for the per-minute billing system will never be paid. The Armenian Parliament and ArmenTel start 60-day negotiations on November 19.