AUTHORITIES HAMPER OPPOSITION’S HOLDING ANY EVENTS, LEADER OF HNCHAKIAN PARTY’S YOUTH ORGANIZATION STATES

Noyan Tapan
April 11, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. "The year 1937 rages in Armenia,"
Narek Galstian, the Chairman of the Sargis Tkhruni youth union of the
Hnchakian Social Democatic Party, stated to journalists on April 11,
commenting upon the refusal of the Ani Plaza hotel’s administration to
provide a hall for holding a conference dedicated to Armenian-Turkish
relations.

According to N. Galstian, the reason of refusal is the fact that
an opposition political force is the organizer of the event. He
reminded to journalists that nearly a weak ago the Sargis Tkhruni
union received an analogous refusal to hold a conference dedicated
to adoption of a resolution on Nagorno 7Karabakh by UN. In his words,
the authorities hamper opposition’s holding any events.

"We condemn such measures, it is quite obvious that pressure is exerted
upon hotels’ administrations by the authorities. The things worsened so
much that in essence holding of events dedicated to Armenian-Turkish
relations and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is prohibited,"
Narek Galstian stated.

He expressed bewilderment with the fact that the authorities, who
constantly call for holding a dialogue between various political
forces, in practice hamper events, in which representatives of
both power and opposition forces could take part. Galstian said
that representatives of more than 20 NGOs and youth wings of various
parties, including the Republican Party of Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutiun,
Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law), Armenian National Movement,
Zharangutiun (Heritage) had been invited to the conference. He assured
that all invitees had given consent to take part in the conference.