YEREVAN. – During the past decade we distorted many things in Yerevan, Armenian President and chairman of the ruling Republican Party (RPA) Serzh Sargsyan announced during a meeting with voters in Yerevan’s Erebuni district on Tuesday.

According to the president, while much attention was paid to economic problems, Yerevan city environmental and identity issues were neglected.

“This is a sad reality. Today we say that economic priorities are more important than the issue of preserving Yerevan’s identity. I promise you here and now that this will change from now on,” Sargsyan mentioned, adding that they will prohibit by law any construction not corresponding to Yerevan’s identity.

Talking about economic issues the president pointed out that the state managed to survive the crisis.

“We were able to protect the country form shocks that happened in many European countries. But we were not able to register an economic growth, which would be visible for the majority of population. Armenia can and will have a modern industry,” the president stressed.

The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) is a ruling conservative party in Armenia founded on 2 April, 1990, and registered on 14 May, 1991, being the first officially registered socio-political organization in the independent Republic of Armenia.

The founder of the party was Ashot Navasardyan. After his death the party was headed by former Armenian prime minister, very influential political figure, Vazgen Sargsyan, who was killed in 1999 terrorist attack in the parliament. He was replaced by another Armenian Premier Andranik Margaryan. After Margaryan’s death, the incumbent Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan took the office of the chairman of RPA board.

Since 2003, the Republican Party is a core member of the ruling coalition along with the Prosperous Armenia and Orinats Yerkir parties. RPA has majority of seats in the Armenian parliament since 2003.

The Republican Party of Armenia will run in the parliamentary elections under its new slogan: “Let us believe to change!” The Party’s proportional list includes 253 names.

RPA has also nominated MP candidates with the majority election system in 33 electoral districts.