A1+

NO ONE ORDERED TO OPEN FIRE?
[06:41 pm] 07 May, 2008

`The March 1 events were neither expected nor
anticipated,’ RoA President’s Adviser Garnik Isagulian
said to A1+. He thinks that the responsibility of the
events lies with everyone, including him `Mass media,
opposition and authorities were to realise the
seriousness of the moment and foresee further
developments and their outcome in the country. Being
an Armenian parliamentarian I should have foreseen
such a turn of events and expect the worst,’ he adds.

No instance had made a decision to disperse the
peaceful demonstrators. We feared lest the opposition
should take drastic steps and use arms before the
Constitutional Court made a final decision. We
possessed such information.

I spoke to the President about the March events. I
also kept in touch with opposition representatives.
Our main concern was to avoid provocations. Before the
CC made a decision the authorities let people crowding
at the square as they saw no menace,’ says Garnik
Isagulian.

Asked who had ordered to open fire at people,
Isagulian said, `The Law on Police stipulates that
policemen can fire a shot whenever necessity requires.
Thus, each policeman acted spontaneously guided by the
Law. It is within a policeman’s powers,’ said the
President’s Adviser laying the main responsibility on
the police.

Anyway, Isagulian is sure that shooting wasn’t planned
beforehand.

In reply to our question who had reported President
Kocharian on the situation and on what grounds he
declared a state of emergency, Isagulian said, `I
think nobody doubts the importance of the emergency
state. When a president learns that the situation in
the country is getting out of control and cars are
being burnt to ashes, he has nothing else to do than
to recover the situation.’

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress