Turks turn Erzurum Armenian church into rubbish dump
2019/11/29 – WESTERN ARMENIA TODAY, NEWS:
Armenian Church of Erzurum (Karin-Akunq Group F) in the Gezkoy district of Aziziye district Aziziye municipality is collecting construction waste near Minas church.
1790 The now-defunct church was built in 2010 as a historic monument, implying that the building had to be preserved by the state. But just the opposite happens. In addition to turning it into a landfill, the church is also being attacked by thieves. Persons in search of treasure have drilled in the walls and columns of the church. Some of the malware also erased the frescoes inside the church.
According to the residents of the district, the municipality collects construction waste from the districts here. If this continues, the church may be covered with piles of garbage.
It should be noted that contradictory information about the possible restoration of the church was published by both owner Sabri Engin and the Aziziye municipality. By the way, after the Armenian Genocide many Armenian real estate, including churches, was privatized by the Turks with the permission of the state.
Ergin, now living in Germany, said in 2016 that the municipality threatened to demolish the church if he did not repair it. He said he had applied to a number of structures to rebuild the church, but none received a positive response.
The municipality says Ergin’s permission is needed to rebuild the church, and that he does not give permission.
Source: Evrensel
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