“All of us know quite well that certain events take place in our reality when certain individuals, on their own, seek to enter the fray from a position of force. They choose to resolve a variety of issues in the streets with strong-arm tactics. Let me clearly state that all this remains incomprehensible for me and that I find it unacceptable. No one in the Republic of Armenia should consider themselves to be above the law. No one in Armenia can assume the functions of the government by themselves. I would suggest to all to refrain from all negative manifestations that have taken root here since the consequences will truly be quite apparent.” (An excerpt from the speech given by Serzh Sargsyan on October 2, 2008)

Two weeks ago a meeting took place where the Prosecutor General of Armenia, Aghvan Hovsepyan, squared off with journalists and various NGO’s. During said meeting I informed the Prosecutor General that people do not believe in the law enforcement system, the prosecutor, the investigator and the policeman, for the simple reason that they do not trust it.

Today, I repeat the same declaration - the people neither believe in the Chief Prosecutor, the Chief of Police nor the President of the country. This is because while the President gave his speech from the podium in the Parliament seated across from him was a number of oligarchs who maintain armed gangs of bodyguards.

Why do Levon Sargsyan (Flour-mill Lyovik), Samvel Aleksanyan (Lfik Samo), Gagik Tzaroukyan (Dodi Gago) and General Seyran (Sedrak Saroyan) maintain a retinue of armed skinheads?

They maintain these armed detachments because they are afraid of getting around on their own. They also fear loosing the riches they have amassed through the numerous illegal transactions and violations of the law that they have committed.

Each of them knows how they have gotten rich, what they have stolen from the state, the amount of taxes they haven’t paid, what they have plundered and robbed and from who. They are afraid of loosing it all. That’s why they travel around town in a convoy of cars surrounded by scores of bodyguards. Along with their bodyguards they have lately turned into a social stratum that kills but remains above the law and untouchable; that daily grows stronger and more entrenched.

This is the problem and Serzh Sargsyan, knowing this full well, makes a speech in their presence, warning them of the consequences.

But in this instance there was no need for a warning. In this instance what he needed to do was dispatch the Prosecutor General to National Assembly prior to his own speech. The Prosecutor General should have gotten the unanimous agreement of the Deputies to strip “Flour-Mill Lyovik” of the immunity he now enjoys. On September 21st this oligarch Deputy ordered his skinheads to beat-up and murder 35 year-old Andranik Babayan. According to certain sources, Lyovik participated in the beating himself.

Lyovik, whom you can’t even leave tied-up in a bunker near the border for one night, or else-----------. This oligarch, who is the most timid of the bunch, who should have been punished in a place of detention long ago for what he has done, decided to culminate celebrating this holiday by murdering someone.

Let us put aside the previous incident surrounding the journalist Artur Sahakyan and the merrymaking of certain officials. This is another matter which points to the close bonding taking place amongst journalists, the regime and the oligarchs.

If the Prosecutor General had gone to the National Assembly prior to the President’s speech and had demanded that the assembled Deputies strip “Flour-Mill Lyovik” of his immunity then perhaps I might have begun to believe him; perhaps. However, no such thing can possibly take place. Of that you can be sure.

And if, after this murder, “Flour-Mill Lyovik” appears before the TV cameras during their reports from the Parliament chuckling with laughter and truly chilling development will also occur in our country - a murderer will have assumed a new persona.

This is the only reality we continue to confront.