Financial Mirror, Cyprus
March 2 2007

Cyprus gov’t slaps new preservation order on Melkonian property

02/03/2007

Cyprus Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis issued a new preservation
order on Friday for the disputed estate of the Melkonian school in
Nicosia which could cause indefinite delays to the administrators’
efforts to dispose of the land.

The order was published in the Official Gazette and has immediate
effect, which means that no one can harm any part of the old
buildings erected in 1925 or cut any of the trees of the forest along
Limassol Ave. planted by the first orphans who found shelter in
Cyprus after the Genocide of the Armenians by the Ottoman Turks.

A previous order, declaring most of the 125,000 sq.m. property a
heritage site with `historical, architectural and national
importance’ had been overturned by the Supreme Court in Nicosia last
December following an appeal by the lawyers of New York-based AGBU.

The Armenian community of Cyprus then wrote to the President of the
Supreme Court, the Attorney General, political party leaders and the
Interior Minister expressing dismay at the decision and called on all
parties involved to review the matter and reinstate the preservation
order.

Reports published in the Cyprus media and reported on CyBC public
television in February suggested that the Town Planning Dept. had
reviewed the case and was working on a new preservation order based
on stronger arguments justifying the decision.

`I am delighted with this news as it shows the determination of the
Republic of Cyprus and in particular the Minister of Interior to
protect this important site not only for the Armenians of Cyprus and
the whole Diaspora, but also for all the people of Cyprus for whom
the Melkonian has been and will always be a jewel with historic
value,’ said the Armenian Representative in the House, Vartkes
Mahdessian.

The Melkonian Alumni, who were at the forefront of the struggle to
save the Melkonian ever since the decision to close the school was
made three years ago, were praiseful of the efforts of the people at
the Town Planning Authority.

`They seem to have appreciated more than some people in Cyprus and
abroad the true value and importance of this historic school and the
need for quality education,’ the Alumni said.

The Alumni also made references to the justification used to
reintroduce the new preservation order according to which it is
deemed imperative `to protect the larger part of the property with
historic traditional buildings as a unified whole, as the property
with its structured and natural environs is part of the larger
historic and traditional town planning network of Nicosia, which must
be protected.’

The Alumni conclude that `with such decisions, as well as the general
support of the whole community, hopes to reopen the school one day
are revived. We thank the Representative, Mr. Mahdessian and the
Minister, Mr. Sylikiotis, for all their efforts in this direction.’