It would seem that Vanadzor Mayor Samvel Darbinyan doesn’t take kindly to local reporters when they write critical articles about him and his administration.

Take the recent case of Gayaneh Sargsyan, a reporter with the Vanadzor Mosaic newspaper, who wrote a recent article entitled, “The Mayor’s Instructions Aren’t Being Implemented.”

The accusation apparently ruffled the mayor’s feathers to such an extent that in an interview with the regional Fortuna TV station, Darbinyan confessed that, “I take a poor view of reporters who ask flawed questions, those reporters who write articles that the mayor’s instructions are being implemented. I would say such reporters are blind, even unfeeling people.”

A few days after the TV interview, the mayor’s secretary Gagik Simonyan verbally insulted the same reporter during an ongoing competition for vacant municipal services. The reporter attempted to look at several papers that had been placed on the desk to see the names of the people on the nominating committee. From the other side of the room Simonyan yelled, “Sit down. You won’t understand anything anyway.”

What follows is an interview that Hetq had with Mayor Darbinyan on the subject.

Mr. Mayor, you publicly insulted the reporter from Vanadzor Mosaic on TV.

I did?

Yes.

Are you sure?

You used certain expressions and even voiced personal insults.

Well, does that reporter actually know for sure that my instructions aren’t being carried out? Since when is it that a reporter can evaluate whether the instructions of a mayor are being implemented? Even if a reporter attends municipal working sessions and consultative sessions, it doesn’t mean that the reporter can issue evaluations off the top of his head.

If a reporter tries to come up and give evaluations about a mayor or his instructions, rest assured that I will not allow it.

Did you read the article in question?

No, and I don't wish to. It doesn’t interest me. The reporter said that the mayor instructions are being implemented.

That was the headline. Are you familiar with the article’s content?

But that headline says it all. The reporter has no right to write such a headline. You know full well that any department head or other municipal workers are dismissed if they don’t carry out instructions for a third time. Before that, I issue both verbal and written warnings.

Recently, you issued reprimands to several department heads.

They were for poor work performance. I issued verbal warnings. If they don’t rectify the situation within a week, those reprimands are in writing.

So are you saying that there are cases when your instructions are ignored?

It’s one thing not to implement an instruction and another to carrying them out poorly.

You said that you hadn’t familiarized yourself with the contents of the article.

I’m very informed about it. Just the headline... What does it mean? That the mayor is such a weak personality and an administrator and that 21,500 people voted for him? If we let such a reporter attend our working meetings that doesn’t mean that...

Can you bar them?

Of course.

According to what law?

Because that’s a closed door working meeting and not a municipal council session.

And what about your work transparency and public accessibility?

There is no need for transparency in a working meeting, because we are discussing very narrow issues about future projects for the town. As for transparency, I tour the town every Monday and Thursday with all the municipal council members and show them what projects have been completed and the issues that need to be addressed. That’s real transparency.

Nevertheless, you made some insulting remarks on TV.

What have reporters ever done for the people? Let any one of them try to get elected to the municipal council. Are you saying that anyone, without having done a thing, can get up and cover the workings of a mayor in any way they choose?

I was elected to serve the people and it’s an honor for me to do so. Mayors are people too and we get irritated once in a while.

If you haven’t read the article, how can you say that it contained an evaluation of your work, whether it was supposition or fact?

Hey, I didn’t like the headline. It shows that the reporter is already ill inclined towards the mayor.

Have you tried to get in touch with the paper, to either ask for a clarification or a retraction?

Why should I? Did the reporter ever get in touch with me for my side of the story? There are some reporters who come and pose their questions in the proper manner.

You mean they have to ask permission to write about something?

No, no... They might show up and say that there’s a garbage collection problem in this or that neighborhood and ask me about it. If I’m apprised of the problem, I will give an immediate answer. If not, I will take the reporter to the problem area and together we will discuss possible solutions.

A few days after your TV interview, your secretary Gagik Simonyan also insulted that same reporter.

If a reporter shows up and starts rifling through personal papers, what the secretary said was just a warning. Perhaps he was a bit rude. So what?

What was the reporter trying to do by looking at the papers? To see if the tender documents for the job were in order? All the reporter had to do was ask for permission.

There are personal details on those papers of the candidates for the job that need to remain private.

Are you attempting to justify Mr. Simonyan's behavior, especially towards a female reporter?

In the first place, I criticize the behavior of the reporter. As a woman, she should have behaved properly. She overstepped her boundaries.

Do you actually want me to accuse one of my staff for protecting his rights? No.

The reporter violated certain rights and the staff member merely chastised her verbally. I see no wrong being committed.