STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. The evacuation of monuments from Berdzor, Aghavno and Nerkin Sus communities has been completed, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Artsakh Lernik Hovhannisyan told Armenpress, stating that around 46 monuments of monumental art have been evacuated from these three settlements. He also informed that the book fund of the Berdzor town library has also been transported to a designated place.

“Cross-stones, monuments, memorial stones dedicated to national heroes, the Armenian Genocide and various memorable events have been evacuated”, the deputy minister said, adding that if these monuments have not been evacuated, they would have been vandalized by Azerbaijanis.

“Now we are discussing several options for the installation of these monuments. The Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Artsakh State University and individuals have presented respective proposals. In particular, the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church has proposed to create a respective park in the territory of the St. Mary Mother Cathedral of Stepanakert where the evacuated cross-stones and monuments will be installed. The sponsor of the Park of Heroes in Nerkin Sus expressed a wish to restore it either in Stepanakert or Martakert”, the deputy minister said, stating that all these options will be discussed very soon and the issue will be solved.

Among the evacuated monuments, there is a cross-stone dating back to the 11th-12th centuries. It was located in the Holy Martyr’s Church of Aghavno. Deputy Minister Hovhannisyan informed that the cross-stone will be given to the State Historical and Geological Museum of Artsakh.