“No, Sakunts won’t Apologize”
06:58, June 11, 2013 | News | Children's rights, Freedom of Assembly and Association | Local Democracy
A number of news websites have disseminated the open letter of Vanadzor citizens addressed to Ruben Hayrapetyan, which also contained accusations against Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office. Pursuant to the open letter, Artur Sakunts impeded and he is to “blame” that Vanadzor doesn’t have a normal football stadium today, who had previously filed a claim against the decision of Vanadzor Avagani, whereby, it was decided to donate the area so that Ruben Hayrapetyan would construct a stadium in Vanadzor as he had promised. And majorly through the letter they demand that Artur Sakunts should make an apology to Vanadzorians and junior football players. It should also be noted that another protest action with the same content was held in Vanadzor with the participation of children, youth and coaches.
Over this topic Galla has talked to Artur Sakunts, Chairman of Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office.
-Mr. Sakunts, how do you feel about the accusations according to which you impeded construction of a football stadium Vanadzor?
-It can refer to the disposition of each community property and the main gist of our approach is that a community property cannot be alienated through donation because there is no such regulation and realization methos foreseen by law. Hence, the communty property can be alienated via an auction or be allocated for gratuitous use to resolve cetian issues of communty significance. In this speific case this was the football stadium and the day after tomorrow it may be a cultural center and in each case if we reveal there is a unlawfull or illegal disposition fact, we’ll appeal against it. I must say that each NGO and citizen has a right to turn to the court. It is quite legal and if the Court found it illegal and unlawful and if there were no grounds, the court wouldn’t have at all taken our claim into proceedings.
–So did Avagani decide to donate the communty property?
– Yes, and by the way, prior to that final decision, another Avagani session had been convenened, where it was decided that there couldn’t be merely a donation. I have myself participated in that session as a community resident. I have mentioned that our Ogrnaization would be appealing and during neither Avagani sessions, nor court heraings there were no such public protests. Now that the claim has been declined both by the Court of First Instance and the Cassation Court, while there was no protest during the whole court proceedings and now that the Avagani decision entered into legal force by quashing our claim, have they started protests? The protest now becomes senseless, since now we cannot directly impede. I am not the one to allocate money for construction.
-Thus, why did they decide to protest against the actions taken up by your Organization now and who are the organizers?
-I consider this as evidently directed, but I cannot say by who: both the Mayor and Football Federation could have done it. Those structures who were displeased with our Organization could have directed it. Even children are being used for their protest. We welcome the children’s participation and the fact that struggle for the protection of their rights, but what amazes me most is that there are even graver violations made on the part police departments, state and local self-governing authorities… the children never appeared then, since they were issues of greater significance, including issues related to food, shelter and unemployment among their parents. Is is apparently directed.
Those, who are buried in corruption and are representatives of oligarchic system, are displeased with our activities. And if they thought by such actions they would force us to stop our activities, then they are badly mistaken. They demnad that Sakunts should make an apology. Of course, they want to set up parallels that Mayor Samvel Darbinyan apologized, now they want Sakunts to follow the same path, but I don’t have a reason to apologize. Besides, it was our Organization to apply, but those state structures that are all over in corruption should apologize, since children suffer as a result of their corrupted activities.