Armenian cultural workers speak of field’s problems

Against the background of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement on a sweeping cabinet reshuffle and mass media lists of “incoming” and “outgoing” ministers, Tert.am got the information on two members of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) rivaling for the post of Armenia’s minister of culture.

Tert.am interviewed some cultural and art workers.

Chairman of the Painters Union of Armenia Karen Aghamyan wants Armenia’s minister of culture to be a person that would consider national culture the highest value of his activities. As to his opinion of Armenian Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan, he did not want to make appraisals.

“I cannot say. I really do not know. I have never thought about it,” Mr Aghamyan said when asked about a candidate for the post.

Asked about major problems of Armenia’s culture, Mr Aghamyan said:

“You are speaking of a whole system, and everyone has his or her own opinion.”

Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Armenia Eduard Militonyan does not want to name anyone either.

“No comments. We see people who love literature, love reading. We have a minister working. What can I say now?”

Asked about his opinion of Armenia’s incumbent minister of culture, he pointed out her contribution to book printing.

“Our minister has always been helpful in this matter. She has well organized the printing of Armenian writers’ books.”

With respects to the problems, Mr Militonyan said that he is concerned over the language problem.

“We have a problem of the Armenian language in Armenia – both on TV and in the press. Respect for culture must be shaped. Created works must be disseminated and presented to the world, for the Armenian Diaspora to know our contemporary artists,” he said.
Theater expert Levon Mutafyan told Tert.am that he sees himself as Armenia's minister of culture.

“I think I can implement a number of cultural programs and the right cultural policy. I do not think Armenia’s Ministry of Culture is properly performing its function. It has turned into a producer center, but it is supposed to implement a cultural policy and national culture tasks, shape respect for theater,” Mr Mutafyan said.

Armenia’s Ministry of Culture is not implementing a global cultural policy.

Mr Mutafyan is critical of the appointment of Andranik Arzumanyan as director of Yerevan Opera House.

“He has no knowledge of opera or ballet. A theater expert or musician must hold this post. But Andranik Arzumanyan was only director of the Russian culture club in Egypt.”

With respect to Minister Hasmik Poghosyan, he said that she must leave the post.