The recent clashes in Gyumri have nothing to do with Armenian-Russian relations or geopolitical “games”. It’s the failure of the authorities that has caused people to fly into a rage.

The failure to speak the human language. The failure to tell the truth. The failure to punish the culprits. The failure to develop the economy and lift Gyumri out of the misery the city has been facing over the past 25 years.

What is happening in Gyumri shows that the gap between the people and the authorities has morphed into an abyss. People have grown tired of the authorities’ failure, which is accompanied by statements claiming they have everything under control, everything will be okay and we simply need to “be a bit more patient”.

We no longer want to display any patience. What should we be patient to? Should we be patient to the fact that 25 years later people in Gyumri still live in wagon-houses while the state has allotted USD 1.5mln to renovate the building of the Ministry of Finance? Was Gagik Khachatryan unable to work in a less furnished office? Why should we “take” this and tolerate?

Why should we take it that MPs nicknamed Shmays and Tokhmakh Mher are so sure about their impunity that they repeatedly insult the journalists and act in a way that has nothing in common with parliamentarism?

How could we sink into a situation where it would be stated from the National Assembly rostrum that some of the MP have the “license” to use foul language, while others lack it.

This cannot continue. People are not able to understand why the authorities did not declare mourning for this dreadful tragedy. Why do they antagonize that large segment of the society which although unhappy, was choosing not to take to the streets?

When turning off the lights on the night of January 11 the Avetisyan family did not know they would never turn those lights on again. The little girl went to bed to wake up in the morning and play with her toys. If the authorities still have some conscience and dignity, they ought to give people direct and honest answers on this matter. Any representative of the authorities that will attempt “to hush up” this case should simply remember that little Hasmik Avetisyan will never again play with those toys.

Ara Tadevosyan is the Director of Mediamax.