Epress.am News from Armenia
Residents of 42 Koghbatsi St., 40 Pushkin St., 23 and 25 Teryan St., and 37 Lalayants St. on Saturday continued protesting the construction of a high-rise building by the firm Local Developers [owned by notorious businessman, owner of the Second Armenian (H2) TV Channel Company Samvel Mayrapetyan], in their shared yard.
According to the residents, not only urban development and architectural, but also environmental and seismic safety standards have been violated in approving the construction of this building. Furthermore, their children have been deprived of a place to play.
Vardan Geravetyan, resident of 21 Teryan St. and the person entrusted with furthering the residents’ concerns, using a megaphone, appealed to the construction workers directly, asking them to cease their activity.
“Our residents appeal to you; we greatly respect your work — you are keeping families. In this dire social situation, you are forced to do that which they offer to you, but whatever you’re doing, you’re doing on account of our health and our lives. Every day you begin this construction, remember that you are slowly killing us. You are puppets for the Samvel Mayrapetyan’s and those like him who are defiling this city,” he said.
Geravetyan urged the workers to cease their activity “because tomorrow construction workers like you will come and tear down your homes and again say that they are keeping [i.e. trying to feed] their families.”
“We are going to try to get in your way. You are going to try to earn money. You too are right and so are we. But you are doing the will of those people who brought this country to a state in which you live poorly. Remember this well, every day that you come to begin this construction, you are doing us harm. Be well, we are going to get in your way again,” he said.
Then, as reported by the Epress.am correspondent on the scene, Geravetyan tried to find out from the head of the construction team if they had the necessary permission to begin construction in the area.
The boss, who didn’t wish to identify himself, showed Geravetyan a document signed by Yerevan mayor Karen Karapetyan on Aug. 25 which stated that they must demolish a 450-square-meter area.
The document also noted that apart from a complex of some sort which is being built currently, there will also be a residential building built in the area. This was news to the residents.
Hearing all this, one woman shouted, “Let them also build a mausoleum for themselves and be done with it!”
Geravetyan then said they’d like to issue one more warning to the construction workers.
According to him, they spoke to both city hall and the head of the Kentron (downtown Yerevan) district regarding this issue, but to no avail.
The residents also made accusations against Yerevan’s chief architect, Narek Sargsyan, who is apparently the one giving permission for the construction of high-class buildings in downtown Yerevan.
Residents say they are preparing to file a lawsuit, which will be submitted to the courts soon. They also said they will join other regular protestors this coming Thursday outside the government building to protest their cause.