A CITIZEN SUED THE CATHOLICOS
A1+
[08:18 pm] 30 October, 2007
The claim of 57-year-old Armen Melkumyan will be discussed at the
First Instance Court of Malatia-Sebastia Communities tomorrow. He
appealed to the Court to reinstate his violated rights, as he said
"for a plate of soup".
Armen Melkumyan is disabled. He has been feeding at the cafeteria,
supported by the Saint Echmiadzin Cathedral and Armenian General
Benevolent Union for 5 years, where the defined norms are not followed
– qualified delicious food, respectable treatment etc.
"They gave bones instead of meat and little bread. I complained and
they replied rudely that they would deprive me of it", said Armen
Melkumyan to "A1+". He also says that the heads of the cafeteria do not
like ordinary people like him. After a similar quarrel on 23 August,
Armen Melkumyan was forbidden to dine at the cafeteria, motivating
that he showed unrespectable treatment toward the Cathedral. He was
even beaten during the quarrel and he had to appeal to the Court and
the head of the cafeteria was dismissed from his post.
"Now the new head does the same things and only I dare to oppose
him. The food is brought from Echmiadzin but is very poor. Where
is the money the Benevolent Union allocates? Why the policemen of
Malatia-Sebastia communities dine at the cafeteria?", wondered the
citizen annoyed. He considers that the Cathedral is aware of it but
does not take measures, thus defending the trespassers.
"Is the Cathedral engaged in money laundering?", asks Armen
Melkumyan. The mentioned cafeteria has been functioning since 2000
and is in Malatia-Sebastia community. 200 unprovided families feed at
the cafeteria. Armen Melkumyan has appealed to the Court to make the
head of the humanitarian cafeteria Vilen Karapatyan account for his
misdeeds, but the latter refuses to account. The Cathedral promised
to be present at the Court trial.
"A1+" turned to the information department of the Cathedral to
hear their version on the case. Head of the Information Department
Ter Vahram clergyman Melikyan said that he was unable to give any
information in this regard but promised to comment on it after
certain agreements.