"IF THEY HADN’T OPENED FIRE, WE WOULD HAVE MORE VICTIMS"
A1+
27 June, 2008
"If the police hadn’t opened fire, we would have more victims on
March 1 and the consequences would have been much more serious," Serzh
Sarkissian said during an interview with Russian "Komersant" newspaper.
"Force was employed against those who broke shop windows, robbed
everything on their way, threw grenades at policemen and shot at
armed forces. What measures were we supposed to take under the given
situation?" said Serzh Sarkissian.
He said the shooting took place a long way from the demonstrators,
about a kilometer away. The demonstrators took up arms against
policemen who were trying to keep public order.
Did the investigation prove that all the victims had been robbers?
"It is not a dry fact. But I can say one thing for sure-all the ten
people died a long way from the square. The investigation is underway
and I think that it will expose all wrongdoers," he added.