The Armenian Embassy in Germany issued a statement on the situation around the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Cologne. The full statement is provided below.

“In response to the numerous enquiries since 6 May regarding the Armenian Genocide Memorial located on the left side of the Hohenzollernbrücke bridge in Cologne, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the Federal Republic of Germany reports the following:

The monument was erected on 15 April 2018 by the initiative "Remember the Genocide" (Initiative Völkermord erinnern) and a number of individual citizens. Due to the absence of an official installation permit, the monument was dismantled four days after its installation (19 April 2018), which was the subject of a legal dispute.

Every year, around 24 April, the monument is erected and then dismantled on the grounds of the absence of an official permission, which has clearly become the subject of outrage by many of our compatriots and a legal dispute with the local authorities.

The Armenian Embassy is in direct contact with the members of the initiative and other interested parties and will make efforts to reach a mutually acceptable solution.”