Wild and Crazy Guys
Via, RFE/RL, While most Armenian politicians are satisfied with doing stupid things during their working hours, Gyumri’s mayor, Vartan Ghukasian, enjoys doing stupid things in his free time as well.
This guy shot an illegally owned pistol at a group of Russian soldiers in a restaurant owned by his brother. “Fortunately, no one was hurt and only the restaurant’s windows were left broken,” says “Aravot,” adding that Gyumri prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” says that no casualties were reported, suggesting sarcastically that the mayor, known for his staunch support for Kocharian, was too drunk to take aim.
The mayor’s office denies the whole thing.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it was true. Isn’t that what has been happening throughout the whole history of Armenia? Nakharar getting into power struggle, plotting and conspiring against each other… And we go on complaining that we don’t have the great lands we used to have during Tigran the Great’s times. I think, the underlying problem is the greediness of the Armenians. We like to show off and impress others. We probably have the highest number of political parties per capita too. No one wants to compromise. Until and unless our leaders and the nation as a whole humbles themselves, it will be hard for the nation to come together.
Comment by Davit — 8/31/2005 @ 9:27 pm
I would not be surprized. I am from Gyumri originally and was there recently actually and as the rumor has it Gyumri’s mayor’s son actually had killed somebody and got away with it. Shame, shame, shame!!!
Comment by Arty — 8/31/2005 @ 9:52 pm
Happy Birthday Mr. President / Drunken Pot Shots at Russian Soldiers
Myrthe over at Cilicia.com’s Expat log remarks on the state-controlled media’s congratulations to the Armenian President Robert Kocharian on the occasion of his 51st birthday. She apologizes for comparing the praise heaped upon Kocharian w…
Trackback by Oneworld Multimedia — 8/31/2005 @ 10:11 pm
Vazgen Sargsian shot a couple of russky soldiers in Gyumri some 10 years ago to prevent removal of military hardware from Armenia. Got away with it too.
Comment by Hovakim — 9/1/2005 @ 3:58 am
So unless the Mayor is prosecuted and if found guilty in a proper trial and imprisoned nothing has changed in Armenia during the past 10 years?
Comment by Onnik Krikorian — 9/1/2005 @ 6:38 am
Katy wrote: “most Armenian politicians are satisfied with doing stupid things during their working hours”
I must disagree with you on this one Katy - I think they are quite unsatisfied with limiting stupid behavior to working hours.
Comment by Raffi Kojian — 9/1/2005 @ 7:18 am
UNTRANSLATABLE!!!!!!
***HENC AYSPES EL APRUM ENK***
Comment by Hermine — 9/1/2005 @ 5:04 pm
Hovakim, I remember the Soviets dismantling all the military hardware so that the independent Armenia would not get it. I’m glad to hear that Vazgen Sargsian prevented the removal of arms from Armenia. I don’t think Karabagh war could have been sustained after the Azeris migrated from hunting rifles to automatic rifles in 1991.
Comment by nazarian — 9/2/2005 @ 6:24 pm
Btw, Aravot publishes a clarification today from the office of the Mayor of Gyumri about the incident. The Mayor’s office reports that the Mayor went to the restaurant where about 80 drunken Russian soldiers were engaged in a brawl, and called the base commanders and city top law enforcement officials to calm the situation down.
Comment by Hovakim — 9/4/2005 @ 5:28 am