Residents of the village of Gai, Armavir, have been at their wit’s end since yesterday’s visit by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Samvel Galstyan. DM Galstyan told the villagers that three hectares of grapevines would have to be destroyed today since they infected by philoxeria (grape-louse). Local residents do not agree with the findings of the ministry’s experts. Residents believe that the disease has been concocted given that certain top government officials also own land in the vicinity and see the villagers as obstacles to expand their holdings. As promised, officials from the Agriculture Ministry showed up early this morning to destroy the vines, but irate residents prevented them from doing so. As we speak, some 15 residents are at the Armavir Regional Authority and are demanding a meeting with Regional Governor Ashot Ghahramanyan. ‘They are offering us 350,000 AMD per hectare as compensation. It’s ridiculous. If the regional governor can’t resolve this matter to our liking we will take our protest to the Government Building in Yerevan and demand to see the prime minister," declared Gai resident Hovhannes Khachikyan.