The residents of Angeghakot are sure that Paruyr Hayrikyan is an “unserious man.” “You may say: ‘Mr. Bagratyan, is it possible that they will announce numbers tomorrow?’ Certainly, they will prepare and tell numbers. Brother, but I put all my effort, energy, these people’s dignity, work; I have invested a considerable amount of money to interfere in this business, in order that those people don’t remain unpunished. Secondly, so that you and I understand each other well, so that we know that we exist and can gather again,” Hrant Bagratyan said during a meeting with residents of Angeghakot yesterday in response to a question of one of the residents why so many candidates had been nominated. “I have told the incumbent president a dozen times, I told their guys in parliament: ‘What are you doing, guys?’ One day, the rope will be cut. Shall we not nominate, shall we not nominate at all? Shall I come and endorse Serzh, and then disregard everything? One day this rope will be cut, brother, what should we do? Come and nominate your candidacy. I will leave, and you nominate yourself,” Mr. Bagratyan said. The resident of Angeghakot proposed: “Isn’t it possible that there are only 2 of you, not 8?” The candidate for president explained that it wasn’t possible. “How can it be? Let me say something to you; one of the 8, I don’t want to name him, urged, said: ‘Let’s unite.’” Those present immediately understood whom he was talking about and shouted ‘Paruyr Hayrikyan.’ In Hrant Bagratyan’s words, “Brother, you change your mind 18 times a day. Then he appears and says something. I told him: ‘This is a disgrace. Man, I don’t want to have anything to do with that. I should file a complaint, while you have been run down by a car, huh?’” The residents of Angeghakot continued: “So have you finally become convinced that he is an unserious man?” Mr. Bagratyan tried to be politically correct. “I didn’t say that. You know that.” One of the residents of Syunik inquired what would come of this country, us, the people, what would be the result. “We are in a pit,” the former Prime Minister didn’t encourage the villagers. “What is the condition of the mining industry?” an old man inquired, expressing his genuine concern, “this is a small country, everyone builds a nest for himself and destroys. They will destroy so much that Lake Sevan will overflow and come at us, what will come of this then?” The naivety of the villager made Hrant Bagratyan laugh, and he consoled the old man that Lake Sevan would not come there, if it overflowed, it would come to Yerevan. The residents of Angeghakot also assured the old man that “our place is high, it won’t come here, don’t worry.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
