YEREVAN. – The post-surgery treatment of Armenia’s former presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman, Paruyr Hayrikyan will be intensive and, consequently, it is difficult to say whether or not the Government allocation will cover those expenses. Hayrikyan’s attorney, Levon Baghdasaryan, stated this during a press conference on Friday.

Reflecting on the negative views being expressed with respect to the providing of the aforesaid allocation, Baghdasaryan sarcastically noted that Hayrikyan’s “fault” was not dying after his assassination attempt.    

“Had he died during the assassination attempt, there would not have been such talks, the organizations would have spent greater amounts, [and] they would have even made Hayrikyan a national hero,” the attorney said.

He added that the allocated amount is very little for Hayrikyan to fully recover, and Levon Baghdasaryan refrained from speaking about the moral damages.     

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Paruyr Hayrikyan was wounded as a result of an assassination attempt that was staged against him on January 31 at around 11:20pm in downtown Yerevan, in front of his home, and during the campaign season for the presidential election that was held on February 18. First, he was transferred to capital city Yerevan’s Surb Grigor Lusavorich (Saint Gregory the Illuminator) Medical Center, where he was operated on. Subsequently, he was taken to the rehabilitation center of the Armenian Red Cross Society.  

Next, Hayrikyan headed to Belgium for treatment, and he underwent a surgery there on Thursday.     

To note, on March 28, the Government of Armenia allocated 20,500,000 drams (approx. $50,000) to the Health Ministry to pay for the costs of Paruyr Hayrikyan’s medical treatment to be conducted abroad. The amount was allocated from the Government reserve fund.