Recently, much has been talked about the activities carried out by the
“Sirkap Armenia” joint stock company, which is also the owner of the
Dzoraghbyur sport complex of the Republic of Armenia. During the last
session of the National Assembly, the Minister of Development of
Territorial Management and Infrastructures of the Republic of Karabagh
announced that the joint stock company has asked the government to
delay the deadlines stated in the contract.
This refers to the reconstruction of the former “Karabagh” hotel, which
is located in the heart of Stepanakert. The reconstruction needed to be
started in 2001. According to the contract, a total of 986 million
drams needed to be invested in order to construct a hotel corresponding
to modern day standards.
In that same year, preparatory work began. The former building was
reconstructed and construction began on the new building (located
behind the former building). However, years later, when it seemed as
though the construction would come to an end, it turned out that the
former “Karabagh” hotel building had to be destructed.
The Minister of Development of Territorial Management and
Infrastructures informed us that the company had made an investment of
271.2 million drams until July 1st of this year. It is probable that
the deadlines stated in the contract will be suspended. According to
those deadlines, a total of 170 million drams must be invested by the
end of this year and another 490 million drams must be invested in 2006.
We interviewed vice-president of the company Hayk Javadyan about the
reasons for destructing the building and the outlooks for the future.
“There are a series of objective reasons for not “fitting in” with the
deadlines foreseen in the contract. I must add that, parallel to the
construction of the new building, we were also completing the
reconstruction of the old building. When we were just about ready to
begin work on reconstruction, we discussed with some specialists of the
Seismic Service of the Republic of Armenia in order to get an
evaluation of the seismology of the building concerned. The specialists
did some tests and came to the conclusion that the building was
unstable and that it could collapse easily”, said Hayk Javadyan during
our interview. “Why didn’t they go to the Seismic Services before
starting reconstruction?” In response to this question, Mr. Javadyan
said that the specialists invited to the site had considered it
unnecessary to study the seismic situation of the building. According
to the businessmen and benefactors of the company, it is possible that
that didn’t happen.
At the present, according to our sources, the former hotel is
destructed and there will be no reconstruction. While discussing the
work to be done on the hotel, H. Javadyan said that the newly
constructed building will go through some changes and work on the
interior will start in the end of December. In addition, construction
is being implemented by specialists from Karabagh, as well as Armenia.
According to Hayk Javadyan, the new hotel building will have 88 rooms, a summer and winter restaurant, a gym, etc.
The press has talked a lot about the investments being made and the
delay of work being completed in Armenia’s Dzoraghbyur sport complex.
Javadyan stated that it is not their fault that the work is being
delayed. In his words, it’s just that the company had received the
certificate of ownership a little late. “Now, that problem can be
considered solved. Construction has begun and the Dzoraghbyur sport
complex will be ready by 2007. In addition, the sport complex is
foreseen for almost all sports. We will construct soccer, basketball
and volleyball gyms, open and closed swimming pools, tennis courts,
etc.” said H. Javadyan.