YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: The Prosecutor's Office of Yerevan is investigating the criminal proceedings launched in the case of the Surmalu market [explosion on August 14].

Yesterday there was already an accused—one of the employees of the market—whose identity has not been revealed yet. About 2 dozen people, including victims and stall owners, were questioned; the representatives and employees of the management of the market will also be questioned.

The owner of the market is Razmik Zakharyan, an NA [(National Assembly)] MP between 1990 and [19]95. He was born in 1936, graduated from the Institute of Physical Culture and YSU [(Yerevan State University)]—with the qualification of economist. He was a member of the CPSU [(Communist Party of the Soviet Union)]. He worked as the director of the Kamo Meat Factory, then—as the director of the Yerevan Canning Factory. And it was this factory that was later rebuilt into Surmalu. He was a member of the pro-government "Republic" parliamentary group.