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Following the cancelation of Leningrad band’s concert planned on October 19 in Yerevan, Babken Pipoyan, Chairman of Informed and Protected Consumer NGO, suggests checking the activity of “Forpostart production” which acted as the organizer of the concert.
In an interview with Panorama.am Pipoyan reminded that the concert was organized by the same company that had also organized the concert of Eros Ramazzotti, which never took place.

The concert by famous Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti was to be held in Yerevan on April 26, 2016. Later the concert was cancelled, while the losses of those who had bought the tickets have not been fully compensated thus far.

Earlier, a group of buyers stated an intention to submit a complaint to the court against the organizer to demand compensation. The first court hearing is to be held on September 30.

“After the cancelation of Ramazzotti concert, none of state structures went to investigate the matter, to find out how many tickets had been sold, the amount of money spent by the organizer, what amount was available at the company’s account balance,” Pipoyan stressed, adding competent state bodies should investigate whether there might be any economic crime in the company’s activity.

Executive Director at “Forpostart production”, Zarine Mkheyan, provided written comments to Panorama.am which read that the at the time of Ramazzotti concert cancellation 30 percent of the tickets had been sold.

According to the clarification, received from Mrs. Mkheyan, the company has initiated the refund process from the income of its ongoing projects from September 2 that is planned to be conducted in three phases. Thus far, 10 percent of the ticket buyers have been compensated.

Mkheyan didn’t specify any specific deadlines for completing the refund, expressing hope to complete the process by the end of the year.

Commenting on the occurred situation, Babken Pipoyan emphasized the consumers’’ rights. To his words, the government, and particularly, the Ministry of Culture should develop and adopt a procedure setting out requirements for those eligible to organize concerts. 

“The legal relations should be regulated, since the organizer may not provide to the consumer whatever it deems,” Pipoyan said, suggesting Tax bodies to check the number of the sold tickets and the received amount.