Hayots Ashkharh Daily, Armenia
Nov 30 2007
HOW MUCH MONEY DO PEOPLE NEED TO BE HAPPY
World box champion Israel Hakobkokhyan announced during his
meeting with the journalists yesterday about his decision to be
nominated for presidency. He has already received all the necessary
documents but he can’t afford the 8 million dram election pledge,
envisaged by the law. To overcome this obstacle he is ready to pawn
six medals of the Champion of the Soviet Union, three – of the
Europe, two – of the winner of `Games of Good Will’, youth world
champion, winner of the `World Cup’, one medal of the world champion
and one – of the vice champion.
Correspondent of `Hayots Ashkharh’ daily had an interview with
Israel Hakobkokhyan yesterday.
`Doesn’t your flat cost 8 million drams? Why don’t you pawn the
flat?’
` The flat in which I’m living at present with my wife and two
sons costs much more but the banks take it only for trade-economic
purposes. I’m not taking a loan my goal is political. Besides that
the flat is not mine, it is my children’s flat. And I don’t have the
right to pawn their property and use it for my own whim.’
‘ Has anybody responded to your proposal? Isn’t anyone ready to
give 8 million drams for that much medals?’
`Some famous figures, oligarchs, showed interest. But they
evaluate those medals by the weight of the gold in it. The same way
you can evaluate the paintings of Rembrandt or Picasso by the cost of
the colors used for painting those masterpieces. For the moment I
have received only similar strange proposals. Our oligarchs don’t
want to understand that I have earned these medals with painstaking
efforts.’
‘Mr. Hakobkokhyan do you have any idea about what candidates you
are going to compete? In case you are nominated and registered what
are you going to oppose to the programs represented?’
`Nowadays everyone wants to dictate his truth. But there is one
truth and I’m going to represent that truth. I’m sure for me it is
much more difficult to work than to act.
I was the one in 1990 who publicly spoke against the anti-national
and impudent activity of Armenian Pan National movement and I was the
one who called them `endlessly barking dogs’. I’m a father and it is
my duty to think about my children’s future.
I don’t like today’s reality and I want to change it. They make me
watch with ears and hear with eyes. They state that there is a
progress in all the spheres. But the progress is only for those who
sell their bodies and their souls. Today it is not a shame to be a
prostitute some people even feel envious of it. Young people dream to
be slaves rather than masters, not engineers and bakers, but
striptease dancers and bodyguards. I can understand that they have to
solve their food problems by closing their eyes on lots of
drawbacks.’
`Don’t you see any nominated candidate who can settle all the
problems you mentioned?’
`I have thought about it, but I don’t see anyone who can 100% do
what I can do. But some of them can really help me. For example Serge
Sargsyan, about whom many people say that he has no chances to win,
can allocate election pledge to me, thus proving that he is not
concerned about my rivalry. Aram Karapetyan, who considers himself an
alternative candidate, in case he doesn’t manage to be nominated, he
can help me in ideological and financial terms.
There will be lots of pre-election promises, but I don’t think any
of the candidates will fulfill 50% of his promises when he becomes a
president.
Let’s just wait and see what programs they will introduce and only
after it will we decide whom to support at the second stage of the
elections.
HARUTYUN GEVORGYAN
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
