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righteousness and what our values
are -- the backbone that forms
our personality is. To anyone who
wishes that justice is done, this is
a unifying way of saying "never
again". Yes, I am sensitive to the
Armenian cause, as I am sensitive
to the history of all peoples. I was
brought up to respect the values
of justice, and I think we should
not be indifferent to the history of
the Armenians.

Q: As an elected member
of the Municipal Council
of the City of Geneva, what
exactly do you do?

The city of Geneva is a town that
takes care of its citizens and visi-
tors through some very specific
tasks. We take care of the quality
of life, land, parks, of our elderly
people, that is to say all that is
in the jurisdiction of the City of
Geneva, even road safety in the everything to be a great place, but goal has been to increase the rate
vicinity of social housing. Hou- it functions poorly today. It could for some multinationals from ii
sing as well, since we are one of be made much more attractive to 13%, and to reduce the taxes for
the largest real-estate managers and pleasant than it is at present. the local companies to 13%. Thus,
of the Canton. We manage a everybody would be on the same
significant quantity of housing. Now I'm running for the Grand level.
Council elections, which is the
It should be known that Geneva next level. As you might be aware, This would be a great challenge
is one of the cities in the world there are three levels of hierar- to Geneva. Tax revenue will drop
that invests the most per capita chy in the Swiss democracy - the and we will be obliged to reduce
on culture. The Grand Theatre is city, the canton and the federa- expenditures -- there will be lots
a flagship institution at the glo- tion. At the cantonal level I am of negotiations and trade-offs. We
bal level. We have different per- particularly interested in protec- have to avoid the state going ban-
forming groups subsidized by ting the interests of small and krupt and therefore we must be vi-
the city. We invest heavily in the medium enterprises. It should be gilant. That I am very attached to
international impact of the city of said that I am an entrepreneur companies is one issue, but I am
Geneva, and the background to in civil life. What is close to my also very concerned about a social
this is the international organi- heart is to maintain an attractive network that is all-encompassing
zations. These are very concrete taxation system for businesses. -- not to abandon anyone along
matters. Due to pressure from the Euro- the way. I think that if we are tal-
pean Union, we are obliged to king about my values, this is one of
Q: Do you have topics in par- harmonize the taxation system in them. While we have a strong eco-
ticular that are close to your Geneva, while trying to keep the nomy, there is also such a thing as
heart? multinational companies here. social justice -- there is a kind of
Today, the multinationals pay tax middle ground for everybody. U
I am particularly interested in at ii%, but local businesses pay
the theme of construction -- the 25%. In other words, there are Leaving this young politician
renovation of the Art and History two different rates between the who would like to participate in
Museum has a budget of more local and the international. This the development of his City and
than 100 million francs. There is has been the way we have attrac- Canton, we can only wish him
also the renovation of the Grand ted the multinationals to the city, success in these future elections.
Theatre, and then there is the who represent approximately
redevelopment of the harbour 20,000 jobs and indirectly twice
area, which is a subject dear to that number. Owing to pressure
my heart. The bay (la rade) has from the European Union, the
Armenia 27]