Liana Aghajanian
After almost three months of continuous protests and sit-ins staged by activists in a battle to save Mashtots Park, batthe Armenian President, Serzh Sargsyan, ordered the removal of structures already constructed on the basis that they weren't aesthetically appealing, a reason that wasn't on the agenda of those fighting against illegal construction in one of Yerevan's last remaining green spaces.
In addition to their demands to preserve the park for health and environmental reasons, protesters objected to the 'boutique' kiosks because no public hearings were held on the matter and no environmental impact assessment was conducted on the area, both of which are required by law. Voice of the Nightingale voiced its concerns [AM] with the government's disregard for rule of law.
«Պարզուեց, որ նախագահն օրէնքի մասին պատրաստ է մոռանալ, երբ խնդրի օբիեկտն է դառնում… էսթետիկան: Նախագահը տեղում յայտարարեց, որ շինարարութեան առումով ամէն ինչ ճիշդ է, քաղաքապետն ամէն ինչ լաւ է արել, բայց կրպակներն աչք չեն շոյում, ու լաւ չի լինի, եթէ երկու-երեք տարի աչք մազոլեն»: ("It was made clear that the President has forgotten about the law when the issue has to do with the aesthetics of objects. The president announced that the construction of the kiosks were perfectly legal, the mayor had done everything correctly, but the kiosks weren't so pleasing to look out and it wouldn't be a good idea to have them as eye sores for the next few years.")
