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Etchmiadzin Scuffle: Lead-Up to Parliamentary Elections?
Grisha Balasanyan
hetq
12:02, June 24, 2011
The Etchmiadzin Police Department has confirmed that unknown
individuals physically attacked Vardan Sakhkalyan, son of construction
businessman Edik Sakhkalyan.
Police say no serious harm was done and that no one was taken to
hospital as a result of the altercation. No suspects have been
identified as yet.
Some press reports point the finger at friends of General Manvel
Grigoryan and that the scuffle was linked to the renovation of the
town's dormitory.
The Union of Homeland Defense Volunteers, a group headed by Grigoryan,
has stated that the general has no connection to Sakhkalyan and that
they have no information about the incident.
The Etchmiadzin Municipality said in a statement that residents of the
dormitory had been issued ownership papers and that it had nothing to
do with any subsequent repair work.
A year ago, the Presidential Control Service, gave the contract for
construction work at the dormitory to Sakhkalyan's company. The job
remains uncompleted.
Dormitory residents expressed their displeasure about the situation to Hetq.
Local residents point to the upcoming parliamentary elections as a
reason for linking the incident with Manvel Grigoryan.
They say that former MP Hakob Hakobyan is concerned that Karen
Grigoryan, the current Etchmiadzin mayor and son of the general, might
throw his hat in the race. Thus, the theory goes, the Hakobyan camp is
trying to discredit Karen Grigoryan through his father.
The Etchmiadzin Municipality claims that the mayor has no intention of
running for parliament.
We tried to contact Edik Sakhkalyan and Hakob Hakobyan but their
phones were turned off.
Grisha Balasanyan
hetq
12:02, June 24, 2011
The Etchmiadzin Police Department has confirmed that unknown
individuals physically attacked Vardan Sakhkalyan, son of construction
businessman Edik Sakhkalyan.
Police say no serious harm was done and that no one was taken to
hospital as a result of the altercation. No suspects have been
identified as yet.
Some press reports point the finger at friends of General Manvel
Grigoryan and that the scuffle was linked to the renovation of the
town's dormitory.
The Union of Homeland Defense Volunteers, a group headed by Grigoryan,
has stated that the general has no connection to Sakhkalyan and that
they have no information about the incident.
The Etchmiadzin Municipality said in a statement that residents of the
dormitory had been issued ownership papers and that it had nothing to
do with any subsequent repair work.
A year ago, the Presidential Control Service, gave the contract for
construction work at the dormitory to Sakhkalyan's company. The job
remains uncompleted.
Dormitory residents expressed their displeasure about the situation to Hetq.
Local residents point to the upcoming parliamentary elections as a
reason for linking the incident with Manvel Grigoryan.
They say that former MP Hakob Hakobyan is concerned that Karen
Grigoryan, the current Etchmiadzin mayor and son of the general, might
throw his hat in the race. Thus, the theory goes, the Hakobyan camp is
trying to discredit Karen Grigoryan through his father.
The Etchmiadzin Municipality claims that the mayor has no intention of
running for parliament.
We tried to contact Edik Sakhkalyan and Hakob Hakobyan but their
phones were turned off.