SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN VISITS KRAKOW AND OSWENCIM

National Assembly
April 23 2009
Armenia

On April 22 the Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan
left for Krakow within the framework of his official visit.

At Krakow airport Malopolska (Lesser Poland) voevoda (head of regional
administration) Mr. Jerzy Miller met the delegation of the National
Assembly. Contacting him and the heads of the local authorities
of Krakow the Speaker of the Parliament noted that he considered
encouraging the relations between the territorial administration and
local self-government bodies of Poland. Then the delegation of the
National Assembly was familiarized with the rich historical-cultural
heritage of Krakow, visiting the royal palaces and cathedral of Wawel.

On the same day the delegation of the National Assembly left
for Oswencim and visited Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp
memorial-museum. Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan laid a wreath, respecting
the memory of the victims of the tragedy that took place in that
concentration camp. After walking around in the memorial-museum the
head of the Armenian legislative power wrote down in the guests’ book.

After getting acquainted with the history of Auschwitz-Birkenau
concentration camp the Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Hovik
Abrahamyan said: "I am simply shocked. In this concentration camp
about one million people were killed. They have been exterminated
by industrial methods. The reason was that they belonged to other
nationality. I condemn the Jews’ Holocaust. On April 24 we will
commemorate the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. I get
convinced once again that if the Armenian Genocide were condemned in
time, maybe during the World War II this tragedy would not take place."

On April 23 in the evening the delegation headed by the Speaker of
the National Assembly Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan will return to Yerevan.