We Were Officially Dressed, They Were in Jeans and T-Shirts: Hayk Marutyan on Incident with Arab Investors

Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan, during an interview on Public Television’s program "Public Discussion," addressed the incident with Arab investors, sharing details about the meeting he and Yerevan's chief architect Arthur Meschyan had with representatives of the Abu Dhabi crown prince and the reasons behind the conflict.

“Yes, there was a meeting. Mr. Tsarukyan has made similar statements before, which lack evidence. Let me clarify how it happened. I was called and informed that there was a desire to meet. They were available to meet on a Sunday, and I said there was no problem. We work seven days a week, 24 hours a day. I asked what time they wanted to meet, and we adjusted accordingly. We maintained the protocol and hosted them in a large hall. We were dressed formally, while they came in jeans and t-shirts. They proposed to build a hospital and a hotel. However, there was no mention of any charity regarding the hospital; the conversation was purely about business. They focused on the Central Administrative District. We explained that our Central area is oversaturated. We suggested they buy a plot from a private party in the Central area if available, otherwise we would offer other options. I said there is a green light; we have shown special consideration for them.

Halfway through the meeting, they started receiving phone calls. While I was speaking, they casually replied to calls. Then there was a second and a third call. They spoke in their language. We patiently waited. Once they concluded their conversations, we continued our discussion. Eventually, I said perhaps the people were in a hurry, and there was no need to continue the meeting. I told them, ‘Perhaps you also have things to attend to. We can end the meeting.’ I reaffirmed that we are ready to assist with any concerns. We told them we would await their written or verbal proposals. To this day, there has been no written or verbal request. We are still waiting. We remain willing to do everything possible,” stated Hayk Marutyan.