YEREVAN. – At present, opposition MPs Nikol Pashinyan (Armenian National Congress) and Ruben Hakobyan (Heritage Party) are holding talks with the police, at capital city Yerevan’s Liberty Square, to pitch a tent on the grass-covered area adjacent to the square, Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informs.    

To note, Armen Martirosyan, the representative of Heritage Party leader, former FM Raffi Hovannisian—who is declared runner-up to the winner, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan, as a result of the presidential election that was conducted on February 18, but who claims to be the real winner in the vote and who declared a hunger strike on March 10 at capital city Yerevan’s Liberty Square—, had petitioned Yerevan Municipality with a request to pitch one tent and one sunshade at the square. The Municipality, however, turned the request to pitch a tent, but permitted to place a sunshade.     

The Municipality had turned down the request to pitch a tent at the paved area on the grounds that Liberty Square is a historical and a cultural complex. Based on this decision, Hovannisian’s supporters are now pitching the tent in the nearby green-covered area, where cafés are set up. 

When Heritage’s representatives were attempting to pitch the tent, a “shoving match” began between them and the police because the latter did not permit this.  Heritage’s representatives, on the other hand, noted that pitching tents on green-covered areas is not prohibited by the law.     

Heritage Party member Stiopa Safaryan told news reporters that they will pitch the tent. 

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am