Armenian party denies alleged destruction of monuments in Shushi

Head of the Department for Protection and Study of Monuments, the Ministry for Education, Culture and Sports of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), Slava Sargsyan categorically disagreed with the statement of Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Speaker Murtuz Aleskerov that the cultural monuments in the town of Shushi, in particular, the fortification of the town, are allegedly destroyed by the NKR authorities.

According to ARMINFO's correspondent to Stepanakert, Slava Sargssyan said that the fortification as a historical and architectural monument is under protection of the country like other Moslem monuments, including the mosque. Sargssyan said that Azerbaijanis destroyed thousands of historical monuments throughout Karabakh.

"In the period when Nagorny Karabakh was part of Azerbaijan, as well as in the period of the military aggression of Azerbaijan against NKR, 167 churches were exploded, destroyed and fully liquidated, as well as 8 monastery complexes, 123 historical cemeteries. 2,500 highly artistic "khachqars" and 10,000 gravestones were destroyed and used as construction material," he said.

Sargssyan said that in the period from 1988-1991 alone, in Shushi Azerbaijanis trice burnt the masterpiece of the Armenian architecture of the 19th century, the Church Ghazanchetsots of Jesus Christ. In April-July 1991, in Shushi, 5-6 Armenian cemeteries were destroyed, the Church Meghretsots was partial disassembled and transformed into a summer cinema, and the Church Kanach Zham was reconstructed into a gallery of mineral waters. Public workers of many countries have repeatedly come out against the barbarous acts and this issue has been discussed at symposiums and conferences.