GOVERNMENT OF ARMENIA WORKS OUT A NUMBER OF CONCEPTIONS IN FAVOR OF
NATIONAL MINORITIES

YEREVAN, August 3 (Noyan Tapan). At present the RA government is
working out a number of conceptions directed to preservation of
cultural originality of the national minorities of the republic. But
Hranush Kharatian, the Head of the Department on Issues of National
Minorities and Religion attached to the RA government, mentioned that
for the national minorities it’s difficult to preserve originality in
Armenia, as they don’t live there compacted. Besides, according to
her, the international experience shows that preservation of ethnic
peculiarities is possible if only the national minorities make at
least 15-20% of the population of the country. While all the 11
national minorities living in Armenia make only 2.2% of the population
of the republic. Neverthless, H.Kharatian said that 3m drams (about
$5.5 thousand) a year is allocated from the state budget for the
national minorities in the RA for carrying on publishing activity and
another 20m drams are allocated for educational and cultural needs.

Rimma Varzhapetian, the Chairwoman of the Jewish community of Armenia,
told Noyan Tapan that necessity of the above-mentioned allocations is
very appreciable. She properly estimated the fact that the government
gave a territory for the House of Culture to the national
minorities. There will be an exhibition hall, a library, a concert
hall, a gymnasium in the territory with an area of 800 sq.m. But,
according to her, “there is a willingness to achieve more.” In
particular, she said that they would like to establish a united
Internet site of the national minorities of Armenia and a united
cultural almanac, for which they hope for the state support. It was
also mentioned that that it’s necessary to give air to the national
minorities once a week on the Public Television, which, according to
her, is envisaged by the frame Convention of the Council of Europe on
protection of the rights of the national minorities signed by Armenia.