YEREVAN, MARCH 26, NOYAN TAPAN. "I have decided not to respond to slanders," Tigran Torosian, the former RA National Assembly Speaker, currently an independent deputy, stated at the March 26 press conference responding to the question of whether the rumors published in press that he bought an apartment in an elite building and uses NA Speaker's car are true. T. Torosian said that though for some time, after he introduced an application to the NA leadership he used the car given to the NA Speaker, some newspapers taking the opportunity invented lies. "That "process" started in summer when a great number of articles were published about me," he noted. Touching upon the rumors on opening the Armenian-Turkish border, T. Torosian said that the Turks have a serious apprehension that U.S. President Barack Obama's April 24 address will be unpleasant for them. According to the deputy, therefore the Turks speak about border's possible opening, "for April 24 to proceed smoothly for them." In response to the question of what is the reason that Armenia does not become a normal country T. Torosian said that the country indeed has problems, the main reason of which is multi-party system's not being fully-fledged. "The other reason is ignorance with its exceptional manifestations," he said. Speaking about dram's depreciation, T. Torosian expressed an opinion that it was not useful for society at all. According to him, government's actions aimed at overcoming the consequences of economic crisis do not fill him with optimism, either. As to the trial on the "case of the seven," according to T. Torosian, it is discreditable for the country, the opposition, as well as for other political forces.

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