Photo: Mayor Lacks Information; Tsarukyan Shows Document

I have not said anything wrong, I have presented the reality. This was stated today, December 4, during a conversation with reporters at the National Assembly by the leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, Gagik Tsarukyan, in response to a recent interview by Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan. In that interview, Marutyan mentioned that Tsarukyan cannot build a hotel in the center of Yerevan due to a court decision, which he claimed has nothing to do with the city hall.

“I want to tell the honorable mayor to understand that the Yerevan City Hall is not a theater building for him. He should remember his campaign promises and work to fulfill them. I want to remind that Tsarukyan is in control of everything, knows everything. Yesterday, I instructed the manager, and he presented the document. Now I will show it to you, and you will see that the mayor himself lacks information,” Tsarukyan said.

He displayed a document indicating that permission has been granted for an 11-story hotel at the “Kempinski” site, with further information noted as ongoing.

“Let them stop speaking nonsense; let them check the airport on April 26 when the sheikh arrived in Armenia with his 18-person entourage. This has caused outrage among our colleagues. This cannot be allowed. We feel that we are not welcomed by the mayor. There should be an opportunity to work,” Tsarukyan stated.

Regarding the continuous phone calls during the meeting with the mayor, which he deemed disrespectful, Tsarukyan remarked, “There is no need to talk about trivial matters. If the king calls, he should see how the negotiations went. He does not know whether the negotiations have concluded or not.”

Tsarukyan also addressed Mayor Marutyan's claim that they do not have available areas in downtown Yerevan to offer for the Arab side to build a hotel or hospital, stating, “Nothing is impossible. There are many residential buildings, there are emergency buildings, and people say they are ready to buy them at double the price. If today the price for one square meter is $2,000, people are willing to pay $4,000. They wanted it in the center. They should not say, 'You go find the area.' If we are supposed to find it, why are we coming to you?”