General Andranik’s statue will be erected in Adler

Armenian General Andranik Ozanyan’s statue in the Russian city of Sochi has been dismantled to be moved to Adler, the spokesperson of Armenia’s Ministry of Diaspora has said.

Speaking to Tert.am Tevos Nersisyan said that the local Armenian community had ignored municipal regulations while erecting the four-meter high statue.

“The Armenians initiated, ordered, get the statue ready and erected it without asking the authorities [for permission], not observing basic regulations,” said Nersisyan.

“A city’s architecture has its clear-cut rules, hasn’t it?” he asked.

The monument built by Armenian artist Marat Minasyan was to be presented to the public on May 28, the day Armenia celebrates the anniversary of its First Republic.

However, after it was erected, the mayor of Sochi, Anatoli Pakhomov, issued a decision, urging the Armenians to tear it down. The statue was demolished on May 27.

Further, Nersisyan played down the incident, saying that the statue will not fade into oblivion as after days of negotiations the local authorities permitted to transport it another Russian city - Adler – whish is home to a larger Armenian community.