“Nothing will be decided with these elections. Being a journalist and chief-editor of newspaper, I will continue being next to you. There is no trust and belief to anything, I know it, but my professional needs trust more than anything else. I can’t say words, for which I will not be responsible in the future,” yesterday said Satik Seyranyan, the chief editor of 168 Hours newspaper, who is a candidate nominated in the 4th precinct of Arabkir, during a meeting with voters from the neighborhood of Kanaker HES. She also said that despite many MP candidates, she was not going to give such promises to voters which would not be implemented. “It doesn’t matter if I am elected or no; I will continue to make your voice heard. The 168 Hours newspaper is open for your problems and all of you,” said S. Seyranyan. She says that the MP’s mandate is just an opportunity for her to raise the issues of people and make them be heard better. “I will not asphalt roads, will not repair elevators, but I will be your representative, who will influence on different state institutions such as the government, municipalities and others to solve those problems. All of us are paying taxes for the purpose to help those institutions work, work efficiently. I will be with you, next to you in order to help your voice be heard. I will not disperse fake words. After May 7 life will continue. I will be either in my place or due to your help will be in the parliament, and will raise those issues there, or will continue my work with our newspaper,” said the candidate for parliament Satik Seyranyan. Seyranyan said that she understood and saw how the administrative resources were used to support her competitor in the same 4th precinct Artak Sargsyan, who is also the owner of SAS supermarkets. She called on the voters not to be afraid of anything and vote as their conscious would tell them. According to her, during these days people are collecting passport details for that candidate in the fourth precinct and are warning people that they would be watching the votes. “We are offended by our government, the MPs that we have in the parliament now. I don’t know Satik personally and please don’t think that I am doing this for campaigning purposes. But I know her past and present, I know her biography and career. She has said nothing else than fair words,” said Farizida Khachatryan, who is a teacher and voter from the same precinct. Following the speech the people from Banavan were coming up to S. Seyranyan freely to talk to her and speak about the issues they were interested int. For example, one of them said how people from the municipality of Arabkir community had visited their building to repair something in the basement, but they had not done anything rather than just watching the area and going. “We respect the job she is doing as a journalist and editor. The most important thing is that she is doing what she says. We trust her,” said Aida, a woman from Banavan. “Everyone is giving promises, but the important thing is to stay loyal to those promises. Let’s wait and see, but as far as I understand this woman does not lie,” said one of her neighbors. Tsolak grandfather, who is a disabled and was listening to the candidate leaning on his crutches, said, “If we let, she will solve those problems. To be honest, if they let her. But I don’t think the authorities will let her be elected.” Even if we don’t go out of home, they will mark our ballots. This is what they tell us. Yesterday some man told me like that, but I will not say his name,” said the old man. “What I like in her is her commitment to stay in touch with us even if she is not elected. She said that. After that we can always find her in the newspaper’s office. I asked a candidate whether he would continue working with us if not be elected, and he said no. We know where she is and we can always find her in the editorial office of the newspaper. I am a refugee, and when her husband, Mr. Shahinyan was the head of our community, we used to receive aid, but now I don’t know why this support does not exist anymore,” said refugee Svetlana Zakiyeva and added that women can change a lot of things in politics. “We are tired of the men in the parliament, so we believe that if something needs to be done, it can be done by women only. What I liked is that she did not give promises and did not lie,” said Mesrop Kirakosyan. In the end of the meeting S. Seyranyan also answered questions of journalists. In answer to question how difficult it is to make people trust in your words during town hall meetings she said, “It is difficult because I know how disappointed they are. Whatever you say, it doesn’t make much sense and it is difficult for them to believe. You tell them to clean up everything, to clean all the promises that have been given and failed to be done. Our profession does not let us lie and cheat people. The newspaper will stop existing if we start to lie. Our profession makes us feel more responsible for our words. They know everything. They feel alienated and alone. They don’t even want to deal with any state institution because they know how they are treated, but I want them to know that all institutions and people, starting from secretaries and guards, must respect them because all they are living due to the taxes that these people are paying. This is the problem. The authorities must have a political will and demonstrate it and make sure that elections are not falsified, but I am pretty skeptical about it,” said Satik Seyranyan. By the way, during yesterday’s town hall meeting there were also a number of member of Yerkrapah Army Volunteers’ of Arabkir community. They said that during a recent meeting their organization and team of the 4th precinct had made a decision to support nonpartisan candidate Satik Seyranyan in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
