The Etchmiadzin Police Department has confirmed that unknown individuals physically attacked Vardan Sakhkalyan, son of construction businessman Edik Sakhkalyan. Police say no serious harm was done and that no one was taken to hospital as a result of the altercation. No suspects have been identified as yet. Some press reports point the finger at friends of General Manvel Grigoryan and that the scuffle was linked to the renovation of the town's dormitory. The Union of Homeland Defense Volunteers, a group headed by Grigoryan, has stated that the general has no connection to Sakhkalyan and that they have no information about the incident. The Etchmiadzin Municipality said in a statement that residents of the dormitory had been issued ownership papers and that it had nothing to do with any subsequent repair work. A year ago, the Presidential Control Service, gave the contract for construction work at the dormitory to Sakhkalyan's company. The job remains uncompleted. Dormitory residents expressed their displeasure about the situation to Hetq. Local residents point to the upcoming parliamentary elections as a reason for linking the incident with Manvel Grigoryan. They say that former MP Hakob Hakobyan is concerned that Karen Grigoryan, the current Etchmiadzin mayor and son of the general, might throw his hat in the race. Thus, the theory goes, the Hakobyan camp is trying to discredit Karen Grigoryan through his father. The Etchmiadzin Municipality claims that the mayor has no intention of running for parliament. We tried to contact Edik Sakhkalyan and Hakob Hakobyan but their phones were turned off.

---