YEREVAN. - Three inner yards of Yerevan downtown are engaged in life-and-death war, said the Sustainable Human Development NGO President Karine Danielyan in a briefing on Wednesday.

“The buildings stand too close. If they sniff out two-three meters of free space in the yard, they build lay a new foundation multistory building,’’ said she.

Architect Gagik Sukhudyan stressed that Yerevan changed its socio-economic structure, asthe city does not serve its residents.

‘‘Our country is called Republic of Armenia, we do not call it Elite Republic of Armenia. We have a thousand social issues to solve but we paint the buildings.  Yerevan faces grave issues of urban development,’’ said the architect.

He argues that architects no longer decide on the architectural style of the city, they merely implement the orders, just like a tailor would.