Insults Were One-Sided from My Side, Then I Hit With a Chair, the Table Turned: Hovik Aghazaryan

The newspaper "Haykakan Zhamanak" reports: "A confrontation took place yesterday between a citizen and Hovik Aghazaryan, a member of the ruling Civil Contract party, at the 'L’Orange' cafe in Moscowian. When Aghazaryan entered the café, a citizen with opposing views reportedly said, 'Get out; looking at you makes me lose my appetite.' Aghazaryan responded with insults, leading to a scuffle which escalated into a physical fight, with mutual insults heard by nearby residents who closed their windows.

Hovik Aghazaryan confirmed the incident in a conversation with us and stated that insults were exchanged but emphasized that they were one-sided. 'I wouldn’t say the insults were mutual, they were one-sided from my side. There was an offensive expression, and I also insulted him,' he admitted.

- What was the reason, how were you offended? We were told that he said, 'please don’t sit there; it makes me lose my appetite,' is that correct?

- Yes, that’s exactly how it happened. Later I learned that the person next to him was his father, who said to me, 'what did you say?' I repeated the insult, and then some movements happened, and I hit with a chair, turning over the tables.

- I was told you were pulled and fell into the bushes.

- Yes, my foot got caught, and I fell into those fir trees.

- Did they hit you?

- No, that didn’t happen.

- Didn’t the people in the café intervene?

- Yes, of course, people came and acted. They said, 'Mr. Aghazaryan, you don’t need this,' I said, 'let them record it; I can bring a recorder too, if he continues with the same lexicon, he will get the same answer, you can be sure of that.'

- How do you evaluate this situation? Your teammates find it hard to walk around the city; apparently, people are intolerant of your presence.

- These tensions will pass if they have a serious agenda based on serious foundations; they shouldn’t resort to such actions. It’s better for them to strengthen their struggle. I am often told, 'Mr. Aghazaryan, you are very easy to provoke,' and I say, 'yes, it’s very easy to provoke me; anyone who wants can come provoke me, and they will get the appropriate response.' I often say that it’s very difficult to determine which is sincere and which isn’t. During the argument, it turned out that the other person was his father. Of course, I felt bad for speaking that way in front of the father of the young man. I said, 'since you are his father, I, of course, apologize to you, but I want to say that even that apology wasn’t necessary because the father was more foolish than him.'

- Although you have your supporters, many also reject you.

- Yes, but what do you suggest? Tell me, let’s see.

- I don’t know; the opposition suggests you resign and leave power.

- Now do you want me to say what the opposition is doing, should I use those words again? Can’t I just say it? Let them create an appropriate situation, let them raise an agenda in Parliament. Just gathering 20,000 people doesn’t mean they are demanding my resignation. They have the right to demand it; I’m not saying they don’t have that right, but they shouldn’t be upset or offended if the demand for my resignation doesn’t resonate.'

For more details, see today's issue of the newspaper.