It is time for our leaders to decide - either they are Armenian citizens or just tourists, actor Hayk Marutyan, better known as Kargin Hayko, told ArmInfo on Wednesday. When asked to comment on the tragedy in Gyumri, he said that unlike the authorities, people in Gyumri have shown that they care for the dignity of their country.
"Today some foreign mass media are trying to put the label of nationalism and xenophobia on the Armenians but we will never take this path," Marutyan said.
He said that he is proud of the Gyumri residents, who together with the whole Armenian people, are silently waiting for the Russians to give Valery Permyakov to the Armenian law enforcers. "But this silence has nothing to do with humbleness. It may well turn into a cry unless Permyakov is punished according to our laws," Marutyan said.
On Jan 12, 6 members of the Avetisyans' family were murdered in Gyumri. Though 8 days have passed since the day of the murder, the investigation has not yet reasonably explained the reasons why Valery Permyakov could commit that horrible crime. At the moment, the criminal is staying in the territory of the Russian 102nd military base and the residents of Gyumri still demand transferring Permyakov to Armenian law-enforcers. The only survivor of the Jan 12 tragedy, 6-month-old Seryozha Avetisyan, died of stab wounds on Jan 19.