ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION OF MULTISTORY BLOCKS MAY BE RESUMED IN AREA OF BOTANIC GARDEN
ArmInfo
2007-06-25 15:58:00
Illegal building of multistory blocks may be resumed in the area of
the Botanic Garden under pretence of creating an ethnographic center
for tourists. It is instructive to recall that some 3 years ago,
the Association of Agro-ecologists of Armenia headed by Chairman Avet
Hayrapetyan leased 25ha of the Botanic Garden area for 25 years. The
Association planned to create an ethnographic center in 5ha of the
above territory. Instead, a large-scale construction was launched
and exotic species of plants were ruined. In 2006 after parliamentary
special hearings, Yerevan Municipality cancelled the lease contract.
Speaking at a press conference, Monday, Eleanora Gabrielyan, president
of Armenian Botanic Society, said that A. Hayrapetyan appealed to the
Economic Court against the decision of the municipality. She explained
that the Botanic Garden leadership leased the above area for heavy
financial problems. "Financing by the Botanic Institute of the National
Academy of Sciences is too miserable for the garden to exist. Under
the contract, the Association of Agro-ecologists assumed the care
for fruit garden, which makes up 12 of the leased 25 ha. The contact
seemed to be a good way out of the situation. No one could imagine
that the leasers would attempt to take advantage of our helplessness
for personal gain," E. Gabrielyan said. At the same time, she did not
rule out that A. Hayrapetyan may prefer a termination fee or another
area for construction. She urged the responsible agencies and mass
media to help saving the valuable plants from destructive construction.
"We have reasons for concern as the Economic Court may adopt a decision
in favor of the Association," E. Gabrielyan said.