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LE CAFE DE PARIS OWNER FINALLY DECIDES TO CLOSE UP SHOP AND LEAVE ARMENIA
epress.am
12.26.2011
Ashkhen (Valerie) Gordzounian, the owner of Le Cafe de Paris situated
on Yerevan's Abovyan St., assured Epress.am today that the Armenian
authorities will bother her also in the sale of her cafe. Note, the
French-Armenian cafe owner has decided to sell her cafe and finally
leave Armenia.
"For 16 years, I invested all that I had in Armenia, and I am
considered one of the first investors, but so far our government has
created only obstacles for both me and the companies I manage. It
pains me that in leaving Armenia, I am leaving my good friends, who
I acquired during these years. The state doesn't think that Armenia
needs the Armenian Diaspora, and to fix the country, like air and
water, outside assistance is necessary. My example will be a lesson
for many who will be careful in investing in Armenia. State bodies
are elected to ease this country's burden, to serve the people and
the economy, to create means... but if they are unable to help the
people, they shouldn't remain," she said.
According to her, the Armenian authorities' campaign against her has
a long history.
"Four years ago, personal issues with my husband became the reason
for harassment against me. From the beginning, my husband, with
major considerations of owning the business, was creating various
conspiracies against me. Eventually, [my husband] having close
relations with the current authorities and being unable to snatch
my property, the persecution against me began on a state level. The
[Ministry of] Justice helped, after the divorce, for my husband
to acquire my two apartments, but he was unable to take Le Cafe de
Paris. On Aug. 10, 2010, the tax department inspected my company and
registered accounting violations. They showed me a deed of 48 million
drams [approx. $125,153 USD] which I was obliged to pay in a very
short period of time. I became witness to things never heard or seen
of in Armenia, and I understood that a person who has problems with
the tax office has issues with not only the justice ministry, but
also a number of other agencies. It turned out that because of daily
interest, the amount [owed] became 80 million drams [approx. $208,589
USD]," she said.
The diaspora Armenian entrepreneur described how she contacted head
of the RA Presidential Oversight Service Hovhannes Hovsepyan, RA
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and different appropriate agencies,
asking for more time to pay off her debt.
"What surprised me was the treatment by our judges and authoritative
bodies. The judges are bribed - there's no justice. They obliged me
to pay off my debt in a brief period. The Armenian Diaspora likewise
responded and some of my friends appealed to the prime minister, to
provide more time, but the prime minister refused. Vahe Petrosyan,
whose company was dealing with my company's accounting and as a
result of whose work the debt was formed, being well acquainted with
Armenia's laws, had nothing in his name; consequently, he and the
accounting firm he managed couldn't have paid that debt.
"Not having the money, I was forced to sell the coffee roasting
company belonging to me and I paid my debt," she said.
The Le Cafe de Paris owner asserts that till today, different measures
are applied against her.
"I didn't know that there is a molybdenum mine beneath Le Cafe de
Paris; otherwise why are the Armenian authorities interested in this
company? The final period has already been placed, and Le Cafe de
Paris is up for sale. I am leaving Armenia - disappointed and in deep
pain. I did everything to save the company I founded and cherished,
but in vain. My only goal is that after me, Le Cafe de Paris will have
a virtuous owner, not for an 'unshaven,' 'thick-necked' and ugly person
[i.e. oligarch] to come and manage all this. I want for my employees
to remain and be in safe hands. I will leave for Paris and I will
work in my cherished business, which I will establish after erasing
my Armenia memories," she said.
According to Gordzounian, the recent wave of protest shown by local
residents on social networks (by creating groups in support of the
cafe and its owner) was an indescribable surprise for her.
Gordzounian adds that she is leaving Armenia with pain in her heart.
"I am a part of this people; I buried my friends at Yerablur [military
cemetery]; I participated in the Karabakh War. I did all this with
my own will ad today I am horrified when I see that day by day
Armenians are leaving Armenia. I am terribly concerned that people,
disappointed, are leaving, and leaving are intelligent and capable
people. Here they pressure and trample on educated people; here,
everything beautiful is eliminated and sunk by the 'thick-necked'
and 'unshaven' [i.e. the oligarchs]."
epress.am
12.26.2011
Ashkhen (Valerie) Gordzounian, the owner of Le Cafe de Paris situated
on Yerevan's Abovyan St., assured Epress.am today that the Armenian
authorities will bother her also in the sale of her cafe. Note, the
French-Armenian cafe owner has decided to sell her cafe and finally
leave Armenia.
"For 16 years, I invested all that I had in Armenia, and I am
considered one of the first investors, but so far our government has
created only obstacles for both me and the companies I manage. It
pains me that in leaving Armenia, I am leaving my good friends, who
I acquired during these years. The state doesn't think that Armenia
needs the Armenian Diaspora, and to fix the country, like air and
water, outside assistance is necessary. My example will be a lesson
for many who will be careful in investing in Armenia. State bodies
are elected to ease this country's burden, to serve the people and
the economy, to create means... but if they are unable to help the
people, they shouldn't remain," she said.
According to her, the Armenian authorities' campaign against her has
a long history.
"Four years ago, personal issues with my husband became the reason
for harassment against me. From the beginning, my husband, with
major considerations of owning the business, was creating various
conspiracies against me. Eventually, [my husband] having close
relations with the current authorities and being unable to snatch
my property, the persecution against me began on a state level. The
[Ministry of] Justice helped, after the divorce, for my husband
to acquire my two apartments, but he was unable to take Le Cafe de
Paris. On Aug. 10, 2010, the tax department inspected my company and
registered accounting violations. They showed me a deed of 48 million
drams [approx. $125,153 USD] which I was obliged to pay in a very
short period of time. I became witness to things never heard or seen
of in Armenia, and I understood that a person who has problems with
the tax office has issues with not only the justice ministry, but
also a number of other agencies. It turned out that because of daily
interest, the amount [owed] became 80 million drams [approx. $208,589
USD]," she said.
The diaspora Armenian entrepreneur described how she contacted head
of the RA Presidential Oversight Service Hovhannes Hovsepyan, RA
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and different appropriate agencies,
asking for more time to pay off her debt.
"What surprised me was the treatment by our judges and authoritative
bodies. The judges are bribed - there's no justice. They obliged me
to pay off my debt in a brief period. The Armenian Diaspora likewise
responded and some of my friends appealed to the prime minister, to
provide more time, but the prime minister refused. Vahe Petrosyan,
whose company was dealing with my company's accounting and as a
result of whose work the debt was formed, being well acquainted with
Armenia's laws, had nothing in his name; consequently, he and the
accounting firm he managed couldn't have paid that debt.
"Not having the money, I was forced to sell the coffee roasting
company belonging to me and I paid my debt," she said.
The Le Cafe de Paris owner asserts that till today, different measures
are applied against her.
"I didn't know that there is a molybdenum mine beneath Le Cafe de
Paris; otherwise why are the Armenian authorities interested in this
company? The final period has already been placed, and Le Cafe de
Paris is up for sale. I am leaving Armenia - disappointed and in deep
pain. I did everything to save the company I founded and cherished,
but in vain. My only goal is that after me, Le Cafe de Paris will have
a virtuous owner, not for an 'unshaven,' 'thick-necked' and ugly person
[i.e. oligarch] to come and manage all this. I want for my employees
to remain and be in safe hands. I will leave for Paris and I will
work in my cherished business, which I will establish after erasing
my Armenia memories," she said.
According to Gordzounian, the recent wave of protest shown by local
residents on social networks (by creating groups in support of the
cafe and its owner) was an indescribable surprise for her.
Gordzounian adds that she is leaving Armenia with pain in her heart.
"I am a part of this people; I buried my friends at Yerablur [military
cemetery]; I participated in the Karabakh War. I did all this with
my own will ad today I am horrified when I see that day by day
Armenians are leaving Armenia. I am terribly concerned that people,
disappointed, are leaving, and leaving are intelligent and capable
people. Here they pressure and trample on educated people; here,
everything beautiful is eliminated and sunk by the 'thick-necked'
and 'unshaven' [i.e. the oligarchs]."