"MOSCOW" HOTEL DEMOLITION CAUSES WAVE OF PROTEST IN YEREVAN

news.az
March 18 2010
Azerbaijan

Tigran Sargsyan Armenian Premier Tigran Sargsyan speaking in the
Armenian parliament has explained reasons of demolition of "Moscow"
cinema in center of Yerevan.

ArmInfo reports that St.Peter and Paul’s church destroyed for
construction of the cinema once located in the territory of the current
"Moscow" cinema in the center of Yerevan. The new church is planned
to be built on the place of the summer hall of the cinema which is
located in the neighborhood. The decision to destroy the summer hall
has caused a great public resonance in Armenia and in the Diaspora.

According to Sargsyan, the consultations with specialists confirm
the position that the summer hall of the cinema can be called an
architectural value but not the historical and cultural one that
needs state protection. "It is hardly possible to attribute all
buildings with original architectural solution to the last category",
the premier said. The positions of the Armenian Apostle Church as
well as the owner of the territory were taken into account in the
adoption of the decision, Sargsyan said.

However, the Armenian public considers that this decision should be
taken not only by the Armenian church and the current owner of the
cinema but also the residents of the capital city and representatives
of different category of the society. Over 60 public figures have sent
an open letter to Premier Tigran Sargsyan with an appeal to annul the
governmental decision. In addition, the collection of signatures has
started for the petition of the same content, initiated by the Hayas
cultural organization (Australia).

The internet community-over 5,000 people also spoke against the
construction of the church in the place of the summer hall. According
to head of the Union of Armenian architects Makrtich Minasyan,
the decision to demolish the hall was adopted unilaterally, without
consultations with the specialists and violation of the law, ArmInfo
reports.

It means that the Armenian premier speaking in the parliament has
just deceived the community speaking about the recent consultations
with specialists.