Sardarapat youth activists address questions to Deputy Minister of Sport

Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Arsen Karamyan denies the statement issued by Sardarapat movement’s initiatory group, the movement says in a recent release.

According to the movement activists, Karamyam misrepresents certain facts, attempting to conceal what actually happened to him during his October 24-26 visit to Georgia.

“Taking into consideration the fact that Sardarapat movement’s initiatory group possesses full information on the incident, we address several questions to Mr Karamyan, anticipating mass media to elucidate their answers as soon as they are available,” the authors say.

They further note that Arsen Karamyan confirms visiting Akhalkalaki as head of an official delegation from Armenia.

Below are some of the questions addressed to the Armenian official.

Question: What was the urgent matter that made you break your previously arranged protocols and leave for Georgia right from your office?

Question: If you were scheduled to meet with Georgian Minister of Culture, Monument Protection and Sports Nikoloz Rurua, why wasn’t your official visit and meetings elucidated on the websites of Armenian and Georgian relevant Ministries?

Question: what other meetings did you have in Tbilisi during your two-day visit? What were the questions discussed and agreements reached, and how was public informed of your meeting?

Question: In your answers to media you say the events in Akhalkalaki were organized on proper level. Did you take part in the October 24 main event and if so, why didn’t you make a speech?

Your answers come to confirm that you didn’t take part in any of the events in Samtskhe-Javahketi region and Akhalkalaki because of leaving Yerevan three hours later than scheduled and managed to meet only Minister Rurua.

Question: When did Minister Rurua actually receive you? Was it on October 24, 25 or 26?

Question: Were you informed that Georgian authorities provoked conflicts during the events in Akhalkalaki region, banning village residents’ entrance to Akhalkalaki and cutting off electricity in some settlements. If you were aware of such incidents, why didn’t you take any step and or express your discontent to Georgian authorities?

Question: Were you persuaded to return to Yerevan by plane? If yes, why? Judging by your answers, Georgian side denied your entry to Akhalkalaki and directed you from Bavra checkpoint to Tbilisi because you yourself wished so.

“We do not aim to disclose the reasons of Arsen Karamyan’s unaccomplished mission.

We simply voice our concerns over the anti-Armenian policy in Georgia, particularly in Samtskhe-Javahketi region. All this results from Armenian authorities’ inaction to protect their compatriots abroad,” reads the statement.