When www.aravot.am asked him whether the people who had been arrested for having attempted to assassinate Paruyr Hayrikyan had really worked in his house, whether he knew them or not, Vardan Sedrakyan, a candidate for president who is an expert in epic poems, said: “Yes, they worked; one of them would renovate, and the other was his driver.”
In response to the next question what he had to do with all that, whether he was being drawn into something, Sedrakyan said: “The government frames up a specific case against me. I have immunity right now, they don’t do anything, but after the election when the observers will have already left Armenia, around February 25, they will really come and arrest me.” According to Sedrakyan, www.aravot.am presented him as a terrorist as early as in December, besides, the mass media wrote that he had been connected with Nairi Hunanyan, had been interviewed with regard to the Tigran Naghdalyan case, had been an officer of the Iranian and Russian secret services etc. “All this aims at presenting me as a powerful terrorist who has groups and takes revenge on everyone for political reasons, because I am the only candidate who has nothing to do with Serzh Sargsyan. Everyone can challenge this, but Serzh knows, doesn’t he, that it is so? I am the only candidate who has clearly talked about the shooting on March 1; I am the only candidate who said that this president falsified his past.”
When asked whether he meant that they trumped up charges against him, he said: “This is political revenge. And the revenge is taken after political processes, in accordance with articles of the Criminal Code, as if this person is not persecuted for his ideas, but because he is a cunning murderer.”
The expert in epic poems stated that an information agency had asked him such a question that the information had surely been taken from the preliminary investigation body. “They said that I had sold my Volvo to one of the arrestees, Khachatur, last year, and I said: ‘Yes, it is correct,’ and the information agency distorted it and wrote that I had given it as a present, but why would I give it to him as a present; who gives cars as presents these days? I sold for $6000, and we agreed that he would give $500 per month. He has already given $1500, but the car is still registered under my name, since I said that I would change the registration name once he paid the whole sum.”
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Sedrakyan is sure that they will cook up more accusations against him in the future. In his words, “I am sure, recordings will be revealed; everything is possible given the current technology, and they can do many things. I have known Serzh Sargsyan since 1988; therefore, I know his work style quite well. However, let me say one thing; in any event, whatever he does, I will be president anyway,” the candidate assured.
As to his press conference that will take place tomorrow, he said: “As for the question, а танцы будут? (will there be dances?) it will also be at my press conference tomorrow, there will be many things….”
Eva HAKOBYAN
