Ahead of the visit of Pope Francis, Head of the Gyumri municipality Department of Culture Ashot Mkrtchyan asked the Community Council members to approve 2 million dram expenditure calculated by the Gyumri City Hall for the organization and conducting welcoming and citywide events for the Holy Father Pope. City Council member Levon Barseghyan asked whether it is not possible to use the money allocated for the fireworks more effectively. The Head of the Department of Culture countered that it is a holiday for the city and it is desirable to have fireworks. Samvel Balasanyan explained that a total of 2 million drams is allocated as there might be unexpected expenses and he will not be able to gather the Council members on the day of the Pope’s visit to approve an expense. The fireworks according to the mayor will cost half a million dram. The mayor explained that the banners and the posters will be provided from Yerevan and Gyumri City Hall will not spend money for it, however, he was upset that the government left the renovation of the Shirakatsi Street to the Gyumri budget.
Note that it was previously agreed to renovate the section of Shirakatsi Street with the government funds prior to the Pope’s visit. “Why are the fireworks necessary? It is a holiday and there will be many visitors. About one hundred people have called from Russia saying that they are arriving. It will be an interesting day as the Pope will stay in Gyumri until 6 p.m. Not to speak about that we are human too, we can say, let’s direct the money for the firework to a resident living in a hard social conditions, in the domik but on the other hand, we are talking about the city … I can take off the money for the fireworks but we are not doing for the Pope, we are doing for ourselves because such a guest I do not know when the Pope had visited Gyumri,” – said Samvel Balasanyan.
Nune AREVSHATYAN
