Published since 07.2002
Published on May 09, 2008
SUPREME INTEREST OR SUPREME DECEPTION?: HISTORIC BUILDING FOCUS OF CONTROVERSY BETWEEN ITALIAN CONSUL AND YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY
- The “Gegham Mnatsakanyan Residential House”, a historic and cultural monument, built in 1898 at Koghbatsi 22 may be dismantled to cede space to the historic and cultural district (which is designed on 20,000 square meters on the territory between Aram and Buzand streets, stretching from the building of the Sil Plaza to the Mantsakanyan House). But before the decision on the fate of the building is made, the authorities have taken it from its current owner giving to another proprietor. Antonio Montalto, honorary consul of Italy in Gyumri bought the building in 1999. The diplomat was granted his title for realization of healthcare and cultural programs in Armenia for 17 years. The building hosts the Armenian-Italian Cultural Center headed by Montalto the Family Care non-governmental organization engaged in healthcare and educational programs. It is also home to a 6-room bed and breakfast hotel that donates its income to art schools founded by Montalto in Gyumri and Spitak. Ceramic productions made at the schools are sold in a souvenir shop in the basement of the building. (www.villadelenda.com) Now, though, it is all in jeopardy of being destroyed to make room for a shopping district. By a government decision in March of last year a number of areas in the center of Yerevan, including the mentioned section of Koghbatsi Street were deemed to have “exceptional supreme public interest”. By the order, the historic building the Italian has turned into a little-known and unexpected gem in the neighborhood has been taken from Montalto and given to tender-winning EMC Closed Joint Stock Company, which plans to engage in real estate business there – hardly, it might be argued, within the scope of “supreme public interest”. The new proprietor is obliged to start reconstruction by next year, and complete plans by 2012. According to the RA Law on Alienation of Property for Public and State Needs, the governmental decision on recognizing an exceptional supreme public interest [referring to a kind of property] must be sent to the owner of the property within 7 days after the decision takes effect. Montalto says, however, he learned that his building was taken from him and given to another owner by a tender from a letter received from the Office of Realization of Yerevan Programs only last November. According to the governmental decision N 399 as of March 4 2004 owner of property recognized as representing a public interest, must be given right for construction without a tender – a stipulation that has never been followed in the controversial matter of Yerevan’s urban development. Montalto poses a number of questions on why he was not lawfully informed his building was supposed to be included in the government’s plans and why he was not given a chance to participate in the tender. Among his questions: If the area is included in the historic and cultural complex of Yerevan, then why is a building of historic and cultural recognition to be dismantled? “The character of the state grows when it engages residents in the realization of its decisions, informs them of its construction plans for the area they live in and asks their opinion. In Switzerland (for example) this would be handled through a referendum,” Montalto says. Montalto says he plans to fight to protect his property rights through all legal means. His battle, though, has been fought by plenty of average citizens in his neighborhood to no avail. An information kiosk near Montalto’s “Villa Delenda” calls it a building “preserved by the state”. Samvel Danielyan, senior architect of Yerevan initially informed ArmeniaNow that the building at Koghbatsi 22 is not a monument and will be dismantled, and that an information board there saying: “The building is preserved by the state” does not prove anything. He then made a supposition it may be a monument subject to be moved to another locale, but after he was shown the 2004 government decision including the building into the list of those not subject to move, he said it will stay in its place. Danielyan criticized “the Italian” for adding 60 centimeters to the building’s roof, without approval of the municipality. Montalto counters that he will undo his renovation, as soon as all other “illegal” constructions in the capital are required to do the same. As the debate over the old building’s future stirs, only this is certain: The Italian consul’s property, NGO, arts-school support and B&B there are soon to be changed.
- Vahan Ishkhanyan
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Today in Armenian history- 1847 Summit Meeting of the representatives of the Transcaucasian Armenian community.
- 1847 With the participation of the gentry and commoners, the National, Ecclesiastic, and Supreme Council is created in Constantinople. It is the first step towards the creation of the "Constitution".
- 1859 A Committee, consisting of 5 clergymen and 14 laymen, is struck in Constantinople to write the "Constitution". The Chariman was Rusinian.
- 1945 End of World War Two (known as the "Great Patriotic War" in the USSR).
- 1964 Death of Vahan Totomyants, professor and public figure.
- 1992 Shooshee (Artsakh) is liberated after 71 years of occupation by Azeri Turks.
- 1994 Protocol negotiated in the Artsakh War and signed in Bishkek (Kirgizstan) by the parliamentary speakers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Artsakh as mediated by Presidents Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan. This was the first recognition of Artsakhs distinctiveness as a political and territorial entity in the negotiations. Azerbaijan occupied 750 sq. km. (15%) of Artsakhs territory, while Artsakh occupied 7059 sq. km. (8%) of territory considered to have traditionally been possessed by Azerbaijan.
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