President of Architects’ Union: “They’re turning the Pak Shouka into an
ordinary store”
Kristine Aghalaryan
12:00, May 14, 2013
Mkrtich Minasyan, head of Armenia’s Union of Architects, told reporters
today that he held out no hope that Yerevan’s landmark `Pak Shouka’ could
be saved.
Arguing that opponents of the construction now taking place had exhausted
all avenues of protest, an exhausted Minasyan said that they had even
petitioned the president of Armenia, but to no avail.
Minasyan noted that it was futile to petition this or that government
agency because the government is tacitly supporting what is happening to
the Pak Shouka.
`We are transforming a unique landmark, designed by a top-level architect,
into a common store that could have built in a hundred other spots,’
Minasyan said.
He added that while the government takes the pledges of the new owner to
restore the market to its original condition at face value, the people of
Yerevan realize that their city has lost yet another exceptional cultural
asset.
Karo Ayvazyan, Chief of the Ministry of Culture’s Agency for the
Preservation of Historical-Cultural Monuments, said that it has done all
it can to halt the illegal construction but that its hands are tied.
`We have exhausted our legal powers in the matter. Sadly, the unlawful
construction has started up again,’ Ayvazyan said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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