TENSIONS FLARE OVER PITCHING TENT AT YEREVAN’S LIBERTY SQUARE

NEWS.AM
March 14, 2013 | 12:58

YEREVAN. – At present, opposition MPs Nikol Pashinyan (Armenian
National Congress) and Ruben Hakobyan (Heritage Party) are holding
talks with the police, at capital city Yerevan’s Liberty Square,
to pitch a tent on the grass-covered area adjacent to the square,
Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informs.

To note, Armen Martirosyan, the representative of Heritage Party
leader, former FM Raffi Hovannisian-who is declared runner-up to
the winner, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan, as a result of the
presidential election that was conducted on February 18, but who
claims to be the real winner in the vote and who declared a hunger
strike on March 10 at capital city Yerevan’s Liberty Square-, had
petitioned Yerevan Municipality with a request to pitch one tent and
one sunshade at the square. The Municipality, however, turned the
request to pitch a tent, but permitted to place a sunshade.

The Municipality had turned down the request to pitch a tent at the
paved area on the grounds that Liberty Square is a historical and a
cultural complex. Based on this decision, Hovannisian’s supporters
are now pitching the tent in the nearby green-covered area, where
cafes are set up.

When Heritage’s representatives were attempting to pitch the tent, a
“shoving match” began between them and the police because the latter
did not permit this. Heritage’s representatives, on the other hand,
noted that pitching tents on green-covered areas is not prohibited
by the law.

Heritage Party member Stiopa Safaryan told news reporters that they
will pitch the tent.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress