R. Hakhverdyan: What can I do? Should I write songs?
Singer Ruben Hakhverdyan showed up at today's press conference with chewing gum to show his attitude towards the media. As the singer said he was offended by fabricated and erroneous reports published by some media outlets.
However, after a few minutes, he threw the bubble gum saying he did not seek to insult everyone because of several journalists.
Speaking about the post-election developments in Armenia the singer gave his reasons for supporting Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian.
"Raffi Hovannisian is a broad-minded and well-educated person who knows several languages. He has no links with any oligarch while Serzh Sargsyan and his brother have their shares everywhere," said Mr Hakhverdyan.
The singer also explained his statement uttered in one of the rallies led by the Heritage party leader in which he said that Serzh Sargsyan had come from a remote Azerbaijani province.
"As a political figure Serzh Sargsyan began his career in Azerbaijan. During Kevorkov's tenure in office, Sargsyan was the secretary of the Komsomol in Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh was still part of Azerbaijan and it was in those years that Armenians began leaving Karabakh. The Karabakh war was won by our people and not by Serzh Sargsyan. He is a simple-minded, provincial person who [with his arrival] added grey colours to our culture and granted titles to people who had not connection with culture," said the singer.
Hakhverdyan also expressed his concerns over the escalating migration. "People could withstand the dark and cold years, they could withstand Robert Kocharyan but they cannot withstand this pervasive atmosphere of adulation and greyness. Armenia has become a country of cajolery."
Regarding Armen Mazmanyan's statement that Hakhverdyan was ignoring the people who gave him food, the singer said, "First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan did not give me money for treatment, I was treated free of charge. Second President Robert Kocharyan gave me a four-room apartment instead of three-room. If they give, they do a right thing, why shouldn't I take? ...Serzh Sargsyan sponsored the release of my disk, giving $ 30,000. He was Defense Minister then but when appointments are being made during Serzh Sargsyan's presidency I have no right [as a citizen] to keep silence."
Speaking about Republican MP Shushan Petrosyan who was critical about political satirist and comedian Vardan Petrosyan, Ruben Hakhverdyan said, "I cannot hide my admiration for Vardan Petrosyan. Shushan Petrosyan and Vardan Petrosyan are incomparable as artists. The Republican Party is real pest for us. What can I do? Should I write songs?" he concluded.
