Student Park: society against new constructions“We do not want to know who builds, we want to know who authorized the building,” public activists say. With passions over the demolition of Moscow Cinema Open-Air Hall fading, Yerevan residents launched a collection of signatures against construction under way in the Student Park. A group of public activists made a statement, saying that “construction works carried out in the Park can transform the urban green belt into another ferroconcrete structure.” “We are ready to use all legal tools to rescue the parks of Yerevan,” people say. May 17, 2010 PanARMENIAN.Net - After a meeting with the Mayor of Yerevan, activists said that Gagik Beglaryan promised to ban all kinds of construction in green zones, as he himself is “extremely concerned over the problem.” Meanwhile, the Mayor’s Office issued a contradictory statement saying that “the city administration did not authorize a new construction in the Student Part, near the monument to Viktor Hambardzumyan.” The statement said that “permission was issued for modernization of two cafes functioning in the territory since 1996.” As to illegal felling, it’s in the competence of the Ministry of Nature and Environment Protection, according to the Mayor’s Office. “I am anxious about the situation,” sculptor Tariel Hakobyan said in a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent. “I am speaking not as the creator of the monument to Viktor Hambardzumyan but as a Yerevan resident. Parks can’t be eliminated. It’s outrageous to erect concrete walls instead of planting more trees.” “We do not want to know who builds, we want to know who authorized the building,” say public activists, who collected 16 thousand signatures. The bad repute 1990ies has left its mark everywhere: cafes replace parks, night clubs open on the ground floors of dwelling houses. So, protests against permissiveness can’t but gladden. However, the authorities confine themselves to issues symbolic statements. Hopefully, public initiatives will produce result one day... Armen Yesayants / PanARMENIAN News Most popular in the section Marriages by mail Green tourism on the rise in Syunik This winter is ideal for it The cableway, the shoe and the unicycle More articles in this section The growing trend of human microchipping Means of control or convenience? Holy Etchmiadzin prefers solar energy Church invests in alternative energy sources Friendship heals Social relationships impact physical wellbeing | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. U.S. believes peace is “possible” in South Caucasus The United States continues to believe that peace is possible in the South Caucasus, Vedant Patel said. |