Owner of Yerevan’s Le Cafe de Paris to Sell Business and Leave Armenia

Speaking to a Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”) reporter on Monday, owner of Le Cafe de Paris Ashkhen (Valerie) Gordzounian confirmed recent rumors that she will be selling her business and leaving Armenia.

The newspaper recalls that in recent years the French-Armenian entrepreneur repeatedly stated that high-ranking Armenian officials wanted to seize her business. According to local media reports in March of this year, Gordzounian said ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) MP Zohrab Zohrabyan threatened to settle accounts with her and her son Sevag. However, until recently, the cafe owner steadfastly declared that she wasn’t preparing to retreat — she would not sell her property and leave Armenia. Yesterday, however, Gordzounian said that she has decided to leave Armenia since her children no longer want to come and live here. She promised to discuss the details and circumstances surrounding her decision in about 10 days.