YEREVAN. – Armenian capital city Yerevan’s Covered Market will preserve its external appearance after the renovations, ruling Republican Party of Armenia MP and businessman Samvel Aleksanyan—who owns the Market — told Armenian News-NEWS.am.  

He stated that the Market’s rooftop had collapsed on its own.

“The [National] Seismic [Protection Service] gave the papers that [show that] the [Market’s] rear was not in good condition, [and] it collapsed on its own. [But] We will restore it completely,” Aleksanyan said, and promised to preserve the building’s architectural appearance.  

“We will restore the [Market’s] arches, too. There will be a market there, and we are digging several floors to [also] build a parking lot,” the MP noted. 

To the query as to whether building an underground parking could affect the Market’s seismic resistance, Aleksanyan responded with a no.  

And to the question as to whether all this could have been informed earlier so as not to raise uproar, Samvel Aleksanyan responded: “Now, a commission is formed which will give its conclusion.”