YEREVAN. – Armenian News-NEWS.am spoke with the Minister of Justice of Armenia, Hovhannes Manukyan.

I love the Armenian New Year because…?

It’s the only holiday when even the gloomiest Armenians smile.

When opening Santa’s gifts, I’ve always had a passing thought that…?

I’ll take out a magic wand; but they were ordinary gifts from ordinary stores.

I remember when I first found out that there is no Santa Claus…?

I was deeply disappointed. It happened accidentally, when I saw my New Year present in the garage the previous day.

When the clock strikes 12 [midnight on New Year], I come to understand that…?

The years go by very quickly and you need to live life to the fullest.

The New Year begins [for me] when…?

The last working day [before the New Year] comes to an end, you finish your enormous amount of work, tidy up your desktop, and go out [of the office].

The Armenian New Year is impossible to imagine without…?

Dolma, and the expression: “Well, we have to get up; we still have a lot of places to go [and visit].”

My New Year’s table must have…?

The satsivi [i.e., a food paste in Georgian cuisine made primarily from walnuts] my mother makes.

When my neighbors enter our home with chocolate boxes [as New Year gifts]…?

I’m “asleep” at that time.

I will ask Santa this year [for]...?

More energy, for me, and a final solution to the [Nagorno-]Karabakh conflict, for Armenia.