news.am, Armenia
July 22 2011
Armenian Church has no money for monastery reconstruction but buys
expensive cars
July 22, 2011 | 13:23
YEREVAN. – Center of Armenian Apostolic Church, Holy See of
Etchmiazdin spent no money on buying seven luxury Toyota vehicles.
They were gifted to the church, press secretary of Armenian
Catholicos, priest Vahram Melikyan told at a press conference on
Friday.
Media wrote that Etchmiazdin obtained seven vehicles for $309,000.
However, the press secretary told that philanthropist Samvel
Karapetyan donated six vehicles and one is a donation from another
patron.
According to media, Holy See of Echmiadzin bought seven vehicles in
the amount of $309,000. It is noteworthy that all the vehicles are
exempt from VAT.
Earlier Melikyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that the church has no
money to reconstruct the monastery of Sanahin, and the reconstruction
depends on philanthropists.
If the Holy See of Etchmiazdin has no money for the reconstruction of
ancient churches and it needs assistance from philanthropist, then why
does it accept the expensive vehicles as if a gift? It is suspicious,
that Etchmiazdin does not ask the philanthropists to direct money to
the reconstruction projects.
From: A. Papazian
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