YEREVAN. – It seems to have become a “tradition” that the events organized by the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) end in fire, Zhoghovurd daily reports.  

“During the fireworks displayed Sunday [October 14] at the end of the Erebuni-Yerevan [2794th Anniversary celebrations], fire broke out at the roof of the buildings of Armenia Marriott Hotel and Armenia’s Transport and Communication Ministry located at the Republic Square. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries.        

In actual fact, fire follows the RPA everywhere. During the RPA’s pre-[parliamentary]election concert-rally on May 4, the RPA’s balloons exploded and burst into flames, over 150 people were injured. Subsequently, the rooftop of the RPA Central Office was in flames twice, and then [the roof of] RPA member [former MP, Football Federation of Armenia President, and businessman] Ruben Hayrapetyan’s Harsnaqar Restaurant [had burned].    

Incidentally, the Municipality allocated $223,000—not counting the money transferred by the sponsors—from the community budget for Yerevan’s 2794th Anniversary events. And many intellectuals boycotted the event,” Zhoghovurd writes.