Government of Armenia does not seek to rename the Sports and Concert Complex after K. Demirchyan, Head of the Government Staff - Minister David Haroutiunyan said in the Armenian National Assembly, Wednesday.
He said the Facility's transfer to the balance of the Defense Ministry aroused mix reaction in public. Even the spokesperson of the Facility's former owner came out with a statement claiming that the employees were forced to wear uniform, which was not true. The minister recalled that yet in 1999 the Sports and Concert Facility was named after Karen Demirchyan in line with a relevant presidential decree. The Facility will not be renamed, even if it is privatized. Haroutiunyan said the Government is studying two options
currently: either to transfer the Facility under trust management or establish a non-commercial state enterprise on its basis.
To recall, on 26 September, Koryun Grigoryan, Spokerperson at the Sports and Concert Facility after K. Demirchyan, told reporters that the Facility staff has to wear uniform after it was transferred under management of the Defense Ministry. He even came to the press conference in uniform. He said that the Facility has debts for electric power. Furthermore, over 100 employees work without salary and applied to the Ombudsman of Armenia for restoration of their rights.
The Yerevan Karen Demirchyan Sport and Concert Facility was pawned and set to auction for 19.350bln AMD or $46.8mln. The auction ended on May 29 without a result. The price of the Facility goes down by 10% after every failed tender.
The Judicial Acts Compulsory Enforcement Service has refused to inform ArmInfo who the complex has been pawned to. The total area of the Facility (built in 1983) is 46335.7 sq.m., exclusive of the subsidiary facilities. In 1985 the building was damaged by a fire and opened only after renovation in late 1987. The building was renovated by BAMO construction company (Russia).