TIGRAN TOROSIAN: IGNORANCE IS ONE OF REASONS OF EXISTENCE OF PROBLEMS IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
March 26, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, NOYAN TAPAN. "I have decided not to respond
to slanders," Tigran Torosian, the former RA National Assembly
Speaker, currently an independent deputy, stated at the March 26
press conference responding to the question of whether the rumors
published in press that he bought an apartment in an elite building
and uses NA Speaker’s car are true. T.

Torosian said that though for some time, after he introduced an
application to the NA leadership he used the car given to the NA
Speaker, some newspapers taking the opportunity invented lies. "That
"process" started in summer when a great number of articles were
published about me," he noted.

Touching upon the rumors on opening the Armenian-Turkish border,
T. Torosian said that the Turks have a serious apprehension that
U.S. President Barack Obama’s April 24 address will be unpleasant
for them. According to the deputy, therefore the Turks speak about
border’s possible opening, "for April 24 to proceed smoothly for them."

In response to the question of what is the reason that Armenia does not
become a normal country T. Torosian said that the country indeed has
problems, the main reason of which is multi-party system’s not being
fully-fledged. "The other reason is ignorance with its exceptional
manifestations," he said.

Speaking about dram’s depreciation, T. Torosian expressed an
opinion that it was not useful for society at all. According to him,
government’s actions aimed at overcoming the consequences of economic
crisis do not fill him with optimism, either.

As to the trial on the "case of the seven," according to T. Torosian,
it is discreditable for the country, the opposition, as well as for
other political forces.