Yesterday in the NA lobby the chair of the Prosperous Armenia party answered the questions of the journalists. We are presenting to you the Q&A with some cuts.
– Why did you not leave for Bursa to watch the Armenia-Turkey football match?
– I had told I would not go because if I go somewhere we have to win. The main problem is this.
– In other words, were you sure the Armenian national team would lose?
– Yes, of course. This was the reason why I did not go.
– What do you think about the Armenia-Turkey protocols? Many affirm they contain preconditions.
– I have told everyone, and the president of the country, the NA speaker also said that those relations are established without preconditions. If there are preconditions, we will renounce. We cannot sell the name of the nation. These relations are connected only with establishment of diplomatic relations and border opening, nothing else.
– The Turkish party connects these relations with the Karabakh issue.
– We state many things too. Why do you accept what they say? We say relations without preconditions. The president of the country said this, the NA speaker and the Prosperous Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukyan is saying it.
– There was a video that you threw a donkey in the cage of your lions for them to it the animal.
– People practice blackmail. I am inviting all the reporters to come to my garden and see what animals there are. My animals and the ones you saw are different. I have a white lion and a white tiger. I love animals, how can I do such a thing? Especially the lion is a powerful animal. How could I ever treat them this way?
– Why do you have animals?
– I love them, so I keep them, is it banned by law?
– How do you feed them?
– I give them veal. Each of them eats 10 kg of meat per day. You may come over and admire them. People don’t take such a good care of their homes but Tsarukyan takes such a good care of its animals. The animal doesn’t have a tongue. If you keep an animal you got to take a good care of it.
– And what if you present them to the zoo.
– I have presented so many animals to the zoo… They do not have place any more, otherwise I would have presented them more. When an incident happened to Nver from Shant TV, I was also blamed, but if Gagik Tsarukyan does something, he does openly. But now they are looking for something to stick to me but it’s not going to happen.
– Did the world economic crisis influence on Armenia? And how?
– It is a global crisis. In America, cities are closed and are subject to sale. But I am working with all my strength to show that I am connected with my country. I do so to lessen the burden for the president and the prime minister. If we managed to get use of something, we need to be able to invest to develop the country. Each of us should do his/her best to be useful for the country.
– Lately, information on major taxpayers was released. Samvel Aleksanyan was the first. What would you say in this connection?
– It is commendable, I welcome it and we should all.
– Why did you cede? You were not the first.
– Who said I ceded? I am not an importer today I am an exporter. Last year I exported 10 million of brandy bottles and this year only 800 thousand. If I sold 50 thousand tones of cement in Georgia, this year only 2-3 tones to be able to preserve my job places.
– Turkey has a great demand of cement. When borders are opened will you export your cement to Turkey?
– Today cement cannot be exported because it is sold at 55 USD in Georgia. Gas cost less in their country and today I am struggling against the low price of cement in Georgia for the sake of staying in the market and retaining my staff. “The economy will develop when people get equal opportunities in all fields. That can’t happen if people just sit on chairs and make decisions.”
– Are you saying that there is no equality?
– No, there is equality and it should be the main principle. I can say the same thing about the journalists. The journalists must be enabled to avoid taking orders to write notorious articles against Tsarukyan. When you start to make decent money you will not take such orders.
– Perhaps the reason of that is the oligarchic” economy…
– What about oligarchs? Oligarchs are one of the columns of the state. What has he done? I just want to know this. What do you mean by the term “oligarch”?
– A businessman, who is in politics and is still ding business.
– Only people who do not need to work on account of the people have to be engaged in politics. The person who invests in the country is worried by the future of children, country. I did not come to deceive people but to help them take care for their families. Let everyone say that an enterpriser must not be engaged in politics. I am ready to discuss. Everyone wants to prove that they are able to work and be useful for their country. Everyone needs good approach, everywhere including the politics. Say good things too, say bad things too we were able to improve on our mistakes. We are trying not to make mistakes. I have only one wish: our country has to be stable for people to be able to invest in their country to make it develop and prosper. I am providing with grape at 110 drams for people to be able to live. I have done the same thing in Masis by creating opportunities for people to live. I do not have any problem on post or money. But there are people who learn a speech and speak about parties, politics, and nation. Let these people come and talk to Tsarukyan to tell what they’d done for the country.