Tense Situation on Shinararner Street: Stalls and Garages Being Dismantled

Auroranews has received reports from stall owners claiming they have not been properly notified. They say they are not even being given time to remove or relocate the items in their stalls. Yesterday, individuals allegedly from the municipality visited and stated that 13 stalls must be dismantled in that area. The people are dissatisfied and anxious, arguing that in such cases they should be properly informed and given several days to safely relocate their belongings.

Auroranews spoke with the spokesperson for the mayor, who said that the decision regarding the dismantling can be found on the official website of the Yerevan municipality under the section for mayoral decisions, published on August 26, 2026. It specifically mentions: “In the area adjacent to building 24 on Shinararner Street of the Ajapnyak administrative district of Yerevan, unauthorized construction of a metal structure (stall) has been carried out on communal property without the right of land use and without the necessary permits, thereby overloading the communal property.”

The spokesperson for the Yerevan municipality informed that notifications are sent within the legal framework 10 days in advance, which is considered ample time for business operators to gather their belongings. If they are unable or do not manage to do so, they are given 1-2 hours during the actual dismantling process to completely vacate the area.

During a conversation with Auroranews, a stall owner remarked that he purchased the stall in 2009 and that he has kept all the old documents. Then, in 2010, he received a stamped decision from the municipality indicating that they had no objections to his operations in the stall. Based on this document, the current owner opened a personal enterprise and also signed contracts for electricity, water, and sewage services. The owner noted that the stall was installed during the Soviet years, and they even have paperwork signed by an architect detailing the stall's design.

When asked if he has read the dismantling decision and is aware of it, the stall owner replied that no documents had been provided to him, as they are concerned he might take legal action. They will dismantle it, and then the decision will be provided. Notably, last year, in 2025, a decision was made to amend the “Law on Public and Individual Notifications via the Internet.” According to azdarar.am, a citizen will be considered properly notified on the 7th day after notification placement.

This raises an interesting situation: it is unlikely that thousands of our citizens will access azdarar.am or the official website of the Yerevan municipality daily to find out what decisions have been made regarding their properties or leased spaces. Moreover, accessing azdarar.am requires identification, making it difficult to determine how many people will independently verify this information; we believe very few will.

Thousands of citizens may not even be aware, and it is normal for them to be unaware of which areas are considered community property. It is the obligation of the relevant authorities to ensure that they do not create additional problems for citizens and business operators, as these are not large or oversized businesses. People have a small opportunity to earn their daily bread.

It should not be inferred that we are in favor of illegalities or unauthorized structures. However, legality starts with proper notification and respect for individuals.