“There Are Still Some Blood Marks”

25/07/2005 Interview by Lilit SEYRANYAN

“168 hours”: What can you tell us about Vazgen Sargsyan?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “What can I say about Vazgen Sargsyan? Everything
has already been said and I do not want to repeat anything. I do not
wish to talk about him. There is a lot to say and at the same time not
so much to say.

“168 hours”: “You, as well as many people, visit Yerablur every October
27. Have there been many of Vazgen Sargsyan’s friends or is that just
their obligation?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “That is not up for us to decide whether Vazgen had
many friends who respected him or not. I would like for him to be alive
today and say whether he has many or few friends. Much has been said
about Vazgen in the past and people still keep talking about him. No
matter how much we talk about him, there is nothing new or amazing. He
was someone who was God given.

“168 hours”: “Today, many were complaining that almost anyone comes to Yerablur.”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “I am one of those people that complain.”

“168 hours”: Why do you get angry?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “It has been exactly ten years, I don’t know if
that is much or not, but I have been in a relationship with him and
obviously I know his friends, I know what kind of people they are. Come
on.

“168 hours”: “Were you furious during your last interview?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “I am angry at the adventurism, primitiveness
because no manly norm, or humanly if you will, is not preserved in the
country. With that we are corrupting our society and youth. Those
adventurers are seen in the authorities and the opposition. This is not
good for the Military Police. Children see that parents pick on each
other, go at each others’ throats, and then sit together, eat, drink
and have a good time…This becomes the rules of the game at home. Then
those same children grow up, and come serve me with those same
principles. They think that they can make compromises with someone,
then embarrass someone else…..This does not help the Military Police
from doing their job.”

“168 hours”: “But at that time the internal political situation was
fairly stable and the opposition was silent. What kind of civil war
were you trying to prevent?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “Besides what you read in the papers or see on
television, I have other sources of information and know what is going
on. There were signs shown by some political figures who are also
adventurers

“168 hours”: “What do you mean by that?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “I mean that there are political figures that use
the means of media to make their threats of attack. How can there be no
signs here? I think that there were signals and I believe that we
needed to announce from the start that no Armenian would hurt another
as long as the MP is still around. Nobody has the right to touch
another physically.”

“168 hours”: “There were many interpretations claiming that your
announcement was a way of taking advantage of your rank. Don’t you
agree?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “The Chief MP has the right to speak and say what
is true. Whoever believes that I don’t have that right, then I ask
those people to ask themselves whether or not they have the right to
spend the state salary, or to live on the money of tax payers rather
than doing their job, or accuse each other and embarrass yourselves
with homosexuality. Do they have the right to humiliate a nation who
has won the war, a nation who is known for its culture and being a
Christian state? What is it all about? Who judges right from wrong?
Please tell that judge whatever you want on behalf of my name. Let them
stop making erotic comments and then we will decide who has the right.”

“168 hours”: “Who are the adventurers?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “There are adventurers, liars and hypocrites
everywhere. It is seen everywhere. Even our society is becoming like
that. Unfortunately, those two-faced cowards being all nice to their
bosses are the ones creating that kind of atmosphere. They go from one
end to the other spreading news. This is what is disgusting. There are
tattle-tales. Someone tells the other some information, then tells him
or her to go and tell his friend, then the friend goes and tells his
friend what is going to happen….This is the kind of people that I am
talking about. These types of people need to be punished. Anyone who
tries to violate human rights and break the stability of the country
does not belong in Armenia. They are the ones filling the brains of
society and children with dirt. Society is already brainwashed that it
is being watched, that someone will know what the other does, etc. This
becomes a game for the children too. There is no need to bring up an
example. At the National Assembly, one deputy claims one thing to the
other and then says that he said it, he didn’t, then did….This is how
we continue living in this dull city.”

“168 hours”: “Another one of the reasons why the opposition is
demanding change of rule is connected with not revealing the events of
October 27. Is that really justified?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “I think that there are no unrevealed crimes, or
crimes that are revealed late or with difficulty. There was a huge
crime organized. I think that it was horrible and that the criminals
were picked out beforehand. October 27 left a huge impact on the people
and will stay in the memory of everyone for all times.”

“168 hours”: “I must bring up the remark made by Robert Kocharayan, who
referred to the events of October 27 as “a crime at the top level.”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “That is the first impression. You see five people,
five of them are not injured and in jail. I think that was what the
President wanted to express. It was the first impression.”

“168 hours”: “Wasn’t five years enough for revealing the case?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “No. You know what, it is easier said than done.
There are crimes which we think will be difficult to solve, but then
something opens up and we reveal it quickly. There are things that seem
to be easy but get revealed later on.”

“168 hours”: “The opposition promises to reveal the case at a rapid pace if there is a change of rule. Do you believe that?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “I don’t think it can. The first error committed by
the opposition was when it turned the whole thing political when the
bodies at the parliament had not been discovered. That was a fatal
error. The adventurers that I am talking about, who are creating an
atmosphere, had already started bringing negativity. They were going to
Vazgen’s family and saying one thing, then telling the President
something else.”

“168 hours”: “It is obvious that the Sargsyan family considers Robert Kocharyan as their enemy. Doesn’t that say something?

Vladimir Gasparyan: “I can not answer such questions.”

“168 hours”: “They say that you bring white lilies on Vazgen Sargsyan’s
birthday, but red ones on October 27. Is there any symbol here?”

Vladimir Gasparyan: “They put white lilies on his birthday, khalpturik
on Easter, and red on October 27 because that day is a dark day and the
blood has not been swept clean. Today, anyone says that he is Vazgen’s
friend. Come on, it’s not like we don’t know him. Vazgen’s trustworthy
friends are the people who have always seen him from 50 meters and have
shown a sign of respect. Not the people who he has always lent a
helping hand to.”