Yesterday, iLur.am news website had released information the Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan by persuasion of His Holiness Karekin II and by the order of the President Serzh Sargsyan is going to get rid of the Artistic Director of Vardan Ajemian State Drama Theatre of Gyumri, People’s Artist of Armenia Nikolay Tsaturyan. The reason was Nikolay Tsaturyan’s sharp criticism voiced over the GALA TV regarding the authorities of the country, oligarchs and the Catholicos, to whom the artist called a demon. As conveyed by iLur.am, the Catholicos not tolerating the criticism voiced against him, had complained to Serzh Sargsyan urging him to punish the artist, and accordingly, Mr. Tsaturyan, yesterday, was called to the Minister of Culture for resignation.
And, even though, yesterday, the People’s artist had gone to meet the Minister, however, Ms. Poghosyan refused to accept him. Today, Aravot.am asked for clarifications on this noised issue from the head of PR department of the Ministry of Culture Alla Serobyan. The latter pointed out that all of this is disinformation, because yesterday’s meeting between the Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan and Mr. Tsaturyan was planned long ago. “Before giving the interview, Mr. Tsaturyan, still a few days ago, had asked for a meeting with the Minister, and the Minister had appointed a day and an hour. The meeting was supposed to take place yesterday, but since before the meeting Mr. Tsaturyan had voiced unfounded comments, particularly with regard to writing the resignation, therefore the minister refused to accept him yesterday,” said Alla Serobyan.
To our question of clarification, whether the Catholicos has nothing to do with this, Alla Serobyan said, “Of course, it is a fiction.” We also asked for a clarification from Mr. Tsaturyan, as he was in Yerevan, we could not be met, but he confirmed on the phone that he really had an appointment for yesterday to meet with the Minister and to discuss issues regarding the play “Monte” and a number of other issues, but the minister had not accepted him. To our observation that according to the ministry the reason was the comments made by you that you were called to write a resignation, Mr. Tsaturyan said, “And where I have made such a comment. I have not said such a thing. I’ve read about it from the Facebook, and the media that they want to dismiss me from work due to the complaints of the Catholicos. All of that is written by the media and my comment is not there.” And as for his bold statement, Nikolay Tsaturyan conveyed that he had voiced his opinion as an artist, and a member of society. To note that many of Gyumri intellectuals directly welcome Mr. Tsaturyan’s speech, according to their impression, the latter had conveyed the words of their hearts on air, and they think that any person living and taking his office in Gyumri should be as bold as Mr. Tsaturyan. The views of intellectuals in detail will be available soon.
Nune AREVSHATIAN
