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Local Reporter Irks Vanadzor Mayor; He Rejects Charges That He
Publicly Insulted Her
Adrine Torosyan
http://hetq.am/eng/interviews/25236/local-reporter-irks-vanadzor-mayor;-he-rejects-charges-that-he-publicly-insulted-her.html
16:18, April 8, 2013
It would seem that Vanadzor Mayor Samvel Darbinyan doesn't take kindly
to local reporters when they write critical articles about him and his
administration.
Take the recent case of Gayaneh Sargsyan, a reporter with the Vanadzor
Mosaic newspaper, who wrote a recent article entitled, `The Mayor's
Instructions Aren't Being Implemented'.
The accusation apparently ruffled the mayor's feathers to such an
extent that in an interview with the regional Fortuna TV station,
Darbinyan confessed that, `I take a poor view of reporters who ask
flawed questions, those reporters who write articles that the mayor's
instructions are being implemented. I would say such reporters are
blind, even unfeeling people.'
A few days after the TV interview, the mayor's secretary Gagik
Simonyan verbally insulted the same reporter during an ongoing
competition for vacant municipal services. The reporter attempted to
look at several papers that had been placed on the desk to see the
names of the people on the nominating committee. From the other side
of the room Simonyan yelled, `Sit down. You won't understand anything
anyway.'
What follows is an interview that Hetq had with Mayor Darbinyan on the subject.
Mr. Mayor, you publicly insulted the reporter from Vanadzor Mosaic on TV.
I did?
Yes.
Are you sure?
You used certain expressions and even voiced personal insults.
Well, does that reporter actually know for sure that my instructions
aren't being carried out? Since when is it that a reporter can
evaluate whether the instructions of a mayor are being implemented?
Even if a reporter attends municipal working sessions and consultative
sessions, it doesn't mean that the reporter can issue evaluations of
the top of his head.
If a reporter tries to come up and give evaluations about a mayor or
his instructions, rest assured that I will not allow it.
Did you read the article in question?
No, and neither do I wish to. It doesn't interest me. The reporter
said that the mayor instructions are being implemented.
That was the headline. Are you familiar with the article's content?
But that headline says it all. The reporter has no right to write such
a headline. You know full well that any department head or other
municipal workers are dismissed if they don't carry out instructions
for a third time. Before that, I issue both verbal and written
warnings.
Recently, you issued reprimands to several department heads.
They were for poor work performance. I issued verbal warnings. If they
don't rectify the situation within a week, those reprimands are in
writing.
So are you saying that there are cases when your instructions are ignored?
It's one thing not to implement an instruction and another to carrying
them out poorly.
You said that you hadn't familiarized yourself with the contents of the article.
I'm very informed about it. Just the headline...What does it mean?
That the mayor is such a weak personality and an administrator and
that 21,500 people voted for him? If we let such a reporter attend our
working meetings that doesn't mean that...
Can you bar them?
Of course.
According to what law?
Because that's a closed door working meeting and not a municipal
council session.
And what about your working transparency and public accessibility?
There is no need for transparency in a working meeting, because we are
discussing very narrow issues about future projects for the town. As
for transparency, I tour the town every Monday and Thursday with all
the municipal council members and show them what projects have been
completed and the issues that need to be addressed. That's real
transparency.
Nevertheless, you said made some insulting remarks on TV
What have reporters ever done for the people? Let any one of them try
to get elected to the municipal council. Are you saying that anyone,
without having done a thing, can get up and cover the workings of a
mayor in any way they choose?
I was elected to serve the people and it's an honour for me to do so.
Mayors are people too and we get irritated once and awhile.
If you haven't read the article, how can you say that it contained an
evaluation of your work, whether it was supposition or fact?
Hey, I didn't like the headline. It shows that the reporter is already
ill inclined towards the mayor.
Have you tried to get in touch with the paper, to either ask for a
clarification or for a retraction?
Why should I do so? Did the reporter ever get in touch with me for my
side of the story? There are some reporters who come and pose their
questions in the proper manner.
You mean they have to ask permission to write about something?
No, no...They might show up and say that there's a garbage collection
problem in this or that neighbourhood and ask me about it. If I'm
apprised of the problem, I will give an immediate answer. If not, I
will take the reporter to the problem area and together we will
discuss it and possible solutions.
A few days after your TV interview, your secretary Gagik Simonyan also
insulted that same reporter.
If a reporter shows up and starts rifling through personal papers,
what the secretary said was just a warning. Perhaps, he was a bit
rude. So what?
What was the reporter trying to do by looking at the papers? To see if
the tender documents for the job were in order? All the reporter had
to do was ask for permission.
There are personal details on those papers of the candidates for the
job that need to remain private.
Are you attempting to justify the behaviour of Mr. Simonyan,
especially towards a female reporter?
In the first place, I criticize the behaviour of the reporter. As a
woman, she should have behaved properly. She overstepped her
boundaries.
Do you actually want me to accuse one of my staff for protecting his rights? No.
The reporter violated certain rights and the staff member merely
chastised her verbally. I see no wrong being committed.
Publicly Insulted Her
Adrine Torosyan
http://hetq.am/eng/interviews/25236/local-reporter-irks-vanadzor-mayor;-he-rejects-charges-that-he-publicly-insulted-her.html
16:18, April 8, 2013
It would seem that Vanadzor Mayor Samvel Darbinyan doesn't take kindly
to local reporters when they write critical articles about him and his
administration.
Take the recent case of Gayaneh Sargsyan, a reporter with the Vanadzor
Mosaic newspaper, who wrote a recent article entitled, `The Mayor's
Instructions Aren't Being Implemented'.
The accusation apparently ruffled the mayor's feathers to such an
extent that in an interview with the regional Fortuna TV station,
Darbinyan confessed that, `I take a poor view of reporters who ask
flawed questions, those reporters who write articles that the mayor's
instructions are being implemented. I would say such reporters are
blind, even unfeeling people.'
A few days after the TV interview, the mayor's secretary Gagik
Simonyan verbally insulted the same reporter during an ongoing
competition for vacant municipal services. The reporter attempted to
look at several papers that had been placed on the desk to see the
names of the people on the nominating committee. From the other side
of the room Simonyan yelled, `Sit down. You won't understand anything
anyway.'
What follows is an interview that Hetq had with Mayor Darbinyan on the subject.
Mr. Mayor, you publicly insulted the reporter from Vanadzor Mosaic on TV.
I did?
Yes.
Are you sure?
You used certain expressions and even voiced personal insults.
Well, does that reporter actually know for sure that my instructions
aren't being carried out? Since when is it that a reporter can
evaluate whether the instructions of a mayor are being implemented?
Even if a reporter attends municipal working sessions and consultative
sessions, it doesn't mean that the reporter can issue evaluations of
the top of his head.
If a reporter tries to come up and give evaluations about a mayor or
his instructions, rest assured that I will not allow it.
Did you read the article in question?
No, and neither do I wish to. It doesn't interest me. The reporter
said that the mayor instructions are being implemented.
That was the headline. Are you familiar with the article's content?
But that headline says it all. The reporter has no right to write such
a headline. You know full well that any department head or other
municipal workers are dismissed if they don't carry out instructions
for a third time. Before that, I issue both verbal and written
warnings.
Recently, you issued reprimands to several department heads.
They were for poor work performance. I issued verbal warnings. If they
don't rectify the situation within a week, those reprimands are in
writing.
So are you saying that there are cases when your instructions are ignored?
It's one thing not to implement an instruction and another to carrying
them out poorly.
You said that you hadn't familiarized yourself with the contents of the article.
I'm very informed about it. Just the headline...What does it mean?
That the mayor is such a weak personality and an administrator and
that 21,500 people voted for him? If we let such a reporter attend our
working meetings that doesn't mean that...
Can you bar them?
Of course.
According to what law?
Because that's a closed door working meeting and not a municipal
council session.
And what about your working transparency and public accessibility?
There is no need for transparency in a working meeting, because we are
discussing very narrow issues about future projects for the town. As
for transparency, I tour the town every Monday and Thursday with all
the municipal council members and show them what projects have been
completed and the issues that need to be addressed. That's real
transparency.
Nevertheless, you said made some insulting remarks on TV
What have reporters ever done for the people? Let any one of them try
to get elected to the municipal council. Are you saying that anyone,
without having done a thing, can get up and cover the workings of a
mayor in any way they choose?
I was elected to serve the people and it's an honour for me to do so.
Mayors are people too and we get irritated once and awhile.
If you haven't read the article, how can you say that it contained an
evaluation of your work, whether it was supposition or fact?
Hey, I didn't like the headline. It shows that the reporter is already
ill inclined towards the mayor.
Have you tried to get in touch with the paper, to either ask for a
clarification or for a retraction?
Why should I do so? Did the reporter ever get in touch with me for my
side of the story? There are some reporters who come and pose their
questions in the proper manner.
You mean they have to ask permission to write about something?
No, no...They might show up and say that there's a garbage collection
problem in this or that neighbourhood and ask me about it. If I'm
apprised of the problem, I will give an immediate answer. If not, I
will take the reporter to the problem area and together we will
discuss it and possible solutions.
A few days after your TV interview, your secretary Gagik Simonyan also
insulted that same reporter.
If a reporter shows up and starts rifling through personal papers,
what the secretary said was just a warning. Perhaps, he was a bit
rude. So what?
What was the reporter trying to do by looking at the papers? To see if
the tender documents for the job were in order? All the reporter had
to do was ask for permission.
There are personal details on those papers of the candidates for the
job that need to remain private.
Are you attempting to justify the behaviour of Mr. Simonyan,
especially towards a female reporter?
In the first place, I criticize the behaviour of the reporter. As a
woman, she should have behaved properly. She overstepped her
boundaries.
Do you actually want me to accuse one of my staff for protecting his rights? No.
The reporter violated certain rights and the staff member merely
chastised her verbally. I see no wrong being committed.