The NA President Mr. Tigran Torosyan, representatives of NA factions and groups, the MPs, members of the staff laid wreaths and flowers at the memorial commemorating the memory of the state and political figures Mr. Karen Demirchyan, Mr. Vazgen Sargsyan, Mr. Yuri Bakhshyan, Mr. Ruben Miroyan, Mr. Mikael Kotanyan, Mr. Armenak Armenakyan, Mr. Henrik Abrahamyan, Mr. Leonard Petrosyan, who fell victims of the crime committed in the National Assembly of Armenia on October 27, 1999.

After the mourning ceremony Mr. T. Torosyan, President of the National Assembly, answered the reporters’ questions.

“Tekeyan Zham”: “Mr. Torosyan, 7 years have passed since the tragedy, but there is still anxiety in the society….”

“I believe, in spite of the fact that 7 years have passed from the tragedy, but those who knew the victims of that crime, who worked with them, moreover those who were present in the Parliament that day in the session hall, I am sure, will have the pain and sufferings which they had in the session hall through all their life.”

Radio Liberty:“Mr. Torosyan, what is the most important lesson from all these?”

“I think it is a very important question. Because, pain is pain, suffering is suffering, but it is very important indeed that the conclusions are made. I believe we have to do everything in order such crimes never take place in our country. It is the first. I am sure that in the basis of that tragedy was malice and hatred. And when every day it seems that there are issues of malice and hatred connected with this or that question, I believe, that the people who come to the National Assembly to work and who pass by this memorial, have to remember that malice and hatred might bring to such tragedy. And the second: which is the most important thing. The people who fell victims on that awful day, didn’t live for themselves, they lived for the sake of ideas, programmes, for the sake of principles, and the biggest tribute for them would be the development of Armenia: the implementation of those programmes, purposes and ideas, to which the victims of that day were adherent.

“Azg” newspaper: Mr. Torosyan, 7 years have passed and as their colleague do you have answers to some of the questions after the trial?

“I think some people related to this case might have some answers, if they are fully aware of the details of the case. Otherwise, unfortunately, there will be a lot of different speculations, and we have seen all that. But the most important thing from this kind of tragedy is the lessons we learn.

“Radio Liberty:” Could not it be that one of the lessons that the terrorists (they probably could tell lies, I do not know, whether they were sincere or not) said that for five years there were no fair elections in our country?Do you think it might be a lesson?”

“I think every scoundrel seeks explanations for his every endeavor. That is the problem. If they wanted to have good elections, there were thousands of other ways to hold good elections, and they could have done everything, so good elections were held. To behave like that and do such things in the name of good elections, I believe, is absolutely unacceptable and it is a sacrilege.”