YEREVAN (A.W.)–Ruben Hayrapetyan resigned from Parliament on July 3, following a meeting with President Serge Sarkisian. Hayrapetyan is the owner of Harsnakar restaurant in Avan, Armenia, where three military doctors were beaten on June 17. One of the doctors, Major Vahe Avetyan, died on June 29 from severe head trauma. A public outcry, and petitions demanding his resignation, ensued soon after.
“I can’t forgive myself and I don’t know how to ask for forgiveness,” Hayrapetyan said in his resignation letter. “I would have given anything to be there on that ominous night, to grab the fists that hit those young men, and to stop this tragedy that stole a life, destroyed families, and left children orphaned. But I cannot. Vahe is no longer with us; and I have to live with that; and I have to look in the eyes of his family members. I don’t know how,” he added.
Hayrapetyan noted that although those responsible would be held accountable by law, the issue is more complicated. “Now a lot of people are blaming me, even for things that I’m not responsible for or that are made up. They are probably right. But I’m first to blame myself. I hereby announce that I feel morally obliged to relinquish my parliamentary mandate. I ask for forgiveness from my voters, because I will not be able to realize their expectations, but I am certain that I am obliged to take this step,” said Hayrapetyan. “I hope one day Vahe’s family will forgive me. I will do everything to that end regardless.”
Harsnakar is a grand-scale restaurant and function hall owned by Hayrapetyan, also known as “Nemets Rubo,” a known oligarch. It is where the wealthy hold extravagant wedding parties. Hayrapetyan owns numerous business ventures, among them the Bjni mineral water company (which bottles Bjni and Noy), a hotel called Harsnakar on Lake Sevan, and a bank. He is also the president of Armenia’s Football Federation.
Although Hayrapedyan maintains he had no connection with the beating, his personal bodyguard, Garik Markaryan, allegedly inflicted the fatal injuries on Avetyan.
Exactly what happened on June 17 between the quarrelers remains unclear. Words were exchanged at two separate times between the servicemen and staff over an apparent dress code violation, the second conflict occurring after Avetyan returned to the premises, having gone home to change out of his athletic clothing. Just why Markaryan felt obligated to severely beat Avetyan has yet to be revealed. Accounts from eyewitnesses have yet to come to light, likely due to fears of retaliation.
At least there is some good news out of this tragedy.
What a tragedy to kill any human…
A doctor …Who serves people…!
How many years he studied, day and night to become a doctor …
Are we living in Turkey during genocide
Do we have scavengers there…!
The person who killed… must to be killed the same way…!
Why M.P appoint such horrible people …
He can be killed as well…! How he trusts them…
I never heard that an Armenian can kill…
He can’t be other than a illiterate mad…!
He will be back as a minister. This is the rule in oligarkhik world.
Sylva–Sorry, but you’re not making any sense here:
“What a tragedy to kill any human…
…
The person who killed… must to be killed the same way…!
…
He can be killed as well…!
I never heard that an Armenian can kill…”
Really???
That was only the start : When is the next oligarch leaving the Parliament ? Come on nobody needs you there. Go voluntarily !
Thats a good start : The first oligarch left the Parliament . Who will be the next ? Come on, nobody needs you there. Give it up before your folks commit the next crime, noticed by all the press worldwide !
This kind of stories will be repeated on and on again until their is a strong police force implemented in Armenia. When the police is weak people will resort to bodyguards for protection. With bodyguards and alcohol around , this kind of events will be inevitable.
I believe there is indeed a strong police force right now. Aren’t they present everywhere in the City? walking up and down the sidewalks in pairs with stern faces, wearing on their heads those stupid, grossly oversized, Soviet era hats, which make them look like clowns? But they are not there to protect you and me, the good guys. They appear to be there to protect the government and their agents, from the general public.
Would someone, anyone please… tell them to replace those extremly awkward hats, asap. Thank you.
Any Oligarchy MPs or Government official doing business outside of his/her given duty should be investigated, for their “side beezeeneesis”. Armenia supreme court must pass a law (if there in any) force those oligarchy businessmen to resign and get out of politics…Armenia needs humble nationalist people MPs not greedy money worshiper politicians, where their bodyguards act above the law!!
I just passed the news of Hyrapetian’s resignation from the parliament to someone that has come from Armenia. He told me, “It’s all show”.
Too bad. “Vorpi Hairenik” Voghpi Hairenik”.
It was “vorpi Hairenik” during Turkish rule. And now
It is “Voghpi Hairenik” during “Azad angagh Hyastan” era.
May the Lord help us.
Amen.
Answer on GB
There is a much bigger problem than you imagine :
In a democracy every citizen can establish a party. Often these new-founded parties disappear again after a short period. It depends on how many voters elect this party. As democracy is just starting in Armenia it is possible that nearly 30 %
of voters elect the party of an oligarch. As every oligarch of course tries to influence the law-making to support his own business, this will be AGAINST the needs of the Armenian people.
Its an absolute misunderstanding if voters think that what is good for the oligarch is also good for us !
GREAT news but unlikely for this oligarch to leave voluntarily… i know there is a plan for this.. es akulannera hesht chen durs galis from this game.. they are sharks… they will not leave this easily… i mean, it would be ideal and promising if his resignation was because of public outcry.. i would applaud for such an action but something tells me it is not due to him having a conscious and a heart..
I just came from Armenia… we have an absolutely beautiful country.. a jem in the middle of ugliness.. it is absolutely breathtaking… it has everything you can imagine.. the stores are plenty, the restaurants are beautiful and up to date, coffee shops every where, work as well BUT the only thing is missing is fair laws, rules and regulations as well as decent salaries for regular citizens.. if these things were in place, Armenia would be the BEST place for all Armenians…and in order to have such laws and regulations, we need to have a strong government that does not consist of such oligarchs….
Indeed may God be with us…
Gayane
What do you mean, you weren’t there? What in the world were your bodyguard thugs doing there if they weren’t there to protect you? So, does that mean that you went around with no bodyguards to protect you? You know you witnessed it. You can’t ask for forgiveness, you should adopt Vahe’s children.
Christo…
You are a human …
You felt with this poor family…
Who will cry till the end of their life…
Where are our writers on this site
All disappeared…fear of oligarchs
Who will all vanish
Cursed untraced …
Let them carry all their money with them…if they can…!!!
CHRISTO Yes, he should pay a huge amount to the officers family – but adopt the killed officers children ? What are they learning from such a family member ? Better not!
You people need to do yourselves a big favor and stop panicking and acting like children. If you want to see worst stuff take place take a quick look at your local daily news papers, wherever you live. At the end of the day, the thugs that committed the murder got arrested and they will go to jail and their boss was forced to resign from his political seat. What I see is a normal state of affairs here in sunny Armenia.
There is a clear and present danger that unfortunate situations like the one that recently occurred at Harsnaqar may get hijacked by Western mercenaries and Western NGOs and used against the state. If that happens then all bets are off and I expect police here to resort to very aggressive tactics to disperse the protesters. As long as the protesters are not appealing to the West for any kind of help, they can be allowed to continue their activism.
Armenia has a lot of growing pains to go through. In the meanwhile, with Serbia, Venezuela, Cuba, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and Iran in mind, we cannot allow Western imperial interests to meddle in Armenia’s internal affairs.
Harut, don’t worry about external enemies, we are the biggest enemy for our country. Please, no need to try to find excuses in order to protect your oligarchs and criminals. No one wants them in our country. We don’t need to listen any story made up by them. Nice try, though!
Harut,
You seem to more concerned with the well being of the ruling thugs that rob and steal from everyone? They need to go..
that is the feeling I got from Harout from BH… i believe, we should not support these thugs in their endeavors by stating west should stay out of the affairs… that should not be the case.. ..
ARmenia needs true democracy, rules, laws, regulation and fairness… without fairness even rules and laws may not work…it needs to be distributed equally to all.. not to only those who know people on the top like… AXPERNERIN..example….the uncle of the second cousin of the VP or a friend of a friend of a friend of the Defense Secretary or something ridiculeous like that….. such a joke…
Comments on this page sadly reminds me why for two thousand years we have been unable to maintain a lasting statehood. As with all nations on earth, including western nations, Armenia will have to travel the hard bumpy path to development. What you people are acting hysterical over are natural growing pains. In the meanwhile, I’ll have more tolerance for Armenia’s current criminal class knowing that they will eventually disappear than towards our “democracy now” imbeciles that will again lead us towards oblivion.