THE RESIDENTS OF KOZERN DISTRICT REACHED KOCHARYAN

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[03:33 pm] 12 April, 2006

The residents of Kozern district were gathered together opposite
the residence of President Kocharyan and demanded to discuss their
problem with the corresponding structures and sub-structures of the
municipality. They were offended by the remarks of the Yerevan mayor
Yervand Zakharyan.

The participants of the meeting met Yervand Zakharyan yesterday. The
latter told them that their information about the instructions of
the Prime Minister is false.

Let us remind you that last week Khachatour Vardanyan, the head of
the territorial self-government administration, assured the residents
that a committee has been formed which will investigate the issue
of privatization of the Kozern district and give answers to their
questions.

Yervand Zakharyan promised the residents of the district that he
will clear up what to do within two months. “He tells us he can do
whatever he wants in this city. He says he can evict us whenever he
wants”, said Samvel Lazarian, head of the NGO “Community and Right”
who represents the interests of the residents of Kozern. Yervand
Zakharyan blamed them for giving a political context to the issue,
and blamed the NGO for supporting them.

As the participants of the meeting claimed, today’s act of
complaint was a forced one. “We still have three days till civic
disobedience. This was a necessary step so that take the opinion of
the people into account. We will not take a step back,” said Samvel
Lazarian. Let us remind you that the residents of Kozern promised
not to organize anything within ten days, and then, in case of need,
they will even form new authorities and defend themselves.

At present deputy mayor of the city Kamo Areyan, four residents of
the district, as well as the head of the NGO “Community and Right”
are in the RA President’s residence.