Irate neighbors opposed to the building of a high-rise luxury residential building on Nalbandyan Street in Yerevan have sent an open letter to Hovik Abrahamyan, recently appointed to head Armenia’s new parliament, implying that he is involved in the construction project despite his denials to the contrary.

Residents argue that is more than coincidental that work at the site has recommenced after months of inactivity immediately after reports started to circulate that Abrahamyan was picked for the post of parliament president.

They say that while Gevorg Mardanyan, a businessman living in Moscow, is officially listed as the developer, it is widely accepted that such a large tract of prime Yerevan real estate cannot be obtained without the support of people in high positions of power.

Residents argue that the only way to put these rumors to rest would be for Abrahamyan to intervene and come up with a just and equitable solution to the building issue.