EVICTION FROM HOTEL "EREBUNI"

A1+
[05:32 pm] 26 June, 2006

Gohar Torosyan, resident of hotel "Erebuni", told the "A1+"
correspondent today that she will commit suicide if they continue to
treat her that way. She is 86 years old, from Gyumri, and lost her
house in the 1988 earthquake.

A month after the earthquake Gohar Torosyan was given a 17-square
meter room on the 5th floor of hotel "Erebuni". 18 years after that
a citizen named Edik appeared and announced that the hotel belonged
to his late uncle who used to live in Moscow, and after his sudden
death he has taken charge of the hotel.

12-13 families of refugees have already received financial compensation
and left their rooms. The only resident left is Mrs. Gohar. She has
no running water and electricity, and the watchman of the building
opens and closes the doors whenever he wishes. The old woman spends
the majority of the day outside, under the sun.

We met those who introduced themselves as the owners of the hotel,
but they did not wish to talk to us.

They have offered 3900 USD to Gohar Torosyan which they represented
as an act of charity. Mrs. Gohar turned down the offer and asked
to give her a house of the same area as she refrains from buying a
house herself.

According to her, she has no one to help her, and she lives with 18 000
AMD of old-age pension. The greatest offence for Mrs. Gohar is that
she devoted her life to sports and trained professional basketball
teams ignoring her private life. And now the country for which she
did so many thinks is so indifferent towards her.