Raffi Hovhannisyan’s campaign continued in the community of Malatia-Sebastia, from the Andranik Statue, today. In that very place, a little girl who was talking with her mom, Gayane, over the phone found herself in an adventurous position characteristic of movies when she tried to tell her mom over the phone, “Mom, guess who is here! Raffi Hovhannisyan.” Mr. Hovhannisyan took the phone from the girl immediately and started to talk: “Hello, Gayane. You are talking with Raffi Hovhannisyan. How are you? You’re doing well? Don’t stay at home on February 18, participate in the election. You ought not to vote for me, but you must participate,” he said.
Many people wanted to take a photo with Mr. Hovhannisyan in Malatia; particularly women expressed their liking for him, assured that they would vote for him.
A group of residents in a pavilion in Vahan Zatikyan Park received Raffi Hovhannisyan with great enthusiasm, calling him, “Hey, Raffi, man, we are talking to you, man.” Raffi Hovhannisyan wished them, “Good luck, good election, and good future.”
After bus stops, flower and beauty salons, Mr. Hovhannisyan visited the famous food market of Malatia. The candidate for president shook hands with potato, pepper, cheese, apple, and green vendors, asked them about their health, and listened to their problems. Natives of Martuni who sold cabbage invited him to drink a glass. Raffi Hovhannisyan refused, because it was cold outside, and he was wearing only a suit. His conversation with potato vendors was particularly interesting. “Stand firm,” in response to this wish of Raffi Hovhannisyan, one of them said: “We’re standing firm, you stand firm, bro.”
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Some people in the market complained to the candidate for president about this government: “What country is this?! What law is this?! I owe 700 thousand, goddamn this law! What do I have to pay back 700 thousand? There is no state. Let this state perish!” Some people asked him to taste something. “What can we do for you, what can we offer you, mate?” Raffi Hovhannisyan tasted only cheese, rejected grapes, pineapples, basturma, and coffee, which he was offered in the market.
The election campaign in the market was generally welcomed by the vendors. They were astonished that a candidate for president wandered without bodyguards and really met with the people, not in some halls with people he had selected.
Mr. Hovhannisyan also visited the Malatya gold market, entered the local department of Haypost, the branch of Unibank, and even “invaded” Samvel Alexanyan’s territory, Yerevan City. “It is beautiful,” the Heritage Party leader said after visiting the second floor of City.
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
