Jazzve Company Co-Owner Issues Statement

Armen Petrosyan, co-owner of the Jazzve company, has issued a statement regarding the events occurring in the Opera area.

"Dear Yerevan residents, what is happening these days in the Opera area is a sad reality, and the responsibility to correct it and return the events to their rightful course lies with each of us. Those individuals whose daily agenda was changed against their will due to the fate of the protesters found themselves in altercations, thrown to the ground, and some were even injured.

Unfortunately, police forces also suffered, and this fact alone reminds us that we must stop immediately. No business interest and no political agenda is worth human lives, and we recognize this very clearly. Firmly opposing the newly formed tradition of pitting different segments of the population against each other, we wish to emphasize that we have always supported resolving work-related issues and smoothing out conflicts through dialogue.

Sadly, this time there was no willingness to engage in dialogue, and force was chosen as the means of communication. Nevertheless, today's city authorities announce that they have taken responsibility for the city's improvement, and we wish them success in their endeavors. Time will reveal how justified their actions were and how noble their motivations were. Given the explosive situation created, we call upon all our partner café owners and employees to cease protests and transfer the struggle exclusively to a legal framework."