Raffi Hovannisian: People need someone to listen to them

On the third day of his election campaign, Raffi Hovannisian toured the Erebuni community of Yerevan. He went to the community market, the dental center, the hospital and entered almost all shops in the area. While touring the Erebuni district, he answered a number of questions of Aysor.am.

- Mr. Hovannisian, we asked many passers-by about their impressions of you. Could you tell us about the impressions you gained from those meetings?
- First of all, I got a charge. I got the truth. They gave me strength. At such meetings I saw both joy and suffering. There was also criticism. People no longer want to meet someone who is a representative of the authorities or the opposition. They just need someone to listen to them and answer their questions.

- Mr. Hovannisian, we noticed that you ask the citizens to voice their proposals or remarks regarding your speeches. Will you take their proposals into account later?
- Of course. Each night, on returning home, I summarize the impressions I received that day and also recall all the proposals. I have already made some changes in my program based on some proposals of citizens.

- Today is the third day in a row that you have toured the city. Have there been any special, memorable incidents?
- To me, each meeting is unique. I will remember all those meetings. Everything is important to me – be it a blessing of a granny or a grandpa, or a meeting with a kid.

Interestingly, in response to the presidential candidate’s question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” the first child, who met Raffi Hovannisian in Erebuni community, said: “I want to become a soldier. I want to grow up and defend my Fatherland”.