Former head raises alarm over heavy damage to Tsitsernakaberd Memorial

At a campaign near the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial on Friday, Hayk Demoyan, former director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, strongly criticized the government’s handling of its renovation. He argued that the current authorities lack respect for the memory of the genocide victims and warned that their actions reflect a dismissive and pro-Turkish attitude.

Demoyan said renovation should only concern several damaged slabs inside the monument, not involve dismantling large parts of it. He expressed concern that ongoing works could soon lead to the closure of the memorial to visitors.

He warned that unskilled migrant workers, lacking knowledge of Armenian and operating heavy machinery, are inflicting significant damage on the memorial. If the work continues unchecked, he said, the site could be destroyed piece by piece.

“This is no longer just rhetoric, we've reached a point where we have to defend the Eternal Flame itself from the current authorities,” Demoyan declared, urging Armenians and the Diaspora not to remain silent.